The Skulls Read online

  “Yeah, that’s my baby girl, Darcy, and my woman, Emily.” He cleared his throat. She handed back the wallet. “They’re both beautiful women.”

  “They are. Emily won’t let me see my daughter at the moment. I’ve had a rough few years. The club has really helped me out. I know I’m an old Prospect at twenty-five, but they’re my world. I’ll do anything for them.”

  Angel smiled. “I hope you figure things out soon.”

  “So do I. Are you ready to go?” Blaine asked.

  “Yeah.” They headed out to the car. “Do you mind if I ask how old Emily is?”

  The woman in the photo looked young.

  Blaine went red. “She’s eighteen in the photo, and she’s just turned twenty.”

  “Did you…?” She couldn’t finish. Had he slept with a minor?

  “No, Emily was eighteen when we were together. I would never do that. I fucked up, not Emily. She needed me, and I wasn’t there. It’s my fault, no one else.”

  Angel nodded. “I’m sorry. You’re the first person to give me any details of their life.”

  “No problem. I’ve been told I need to talk about my family.”

  They climbed in the car, and Blaine headed toward Tate’s home. Angel pressed the button to call Tate to let her know they were on their way.

  Tate didn’t answer the phone, and Angel tried her number again.

  “I’m pleased you’ve told me. It must be hard having a family and not seeing them.”

  “It can be,” Blaine said, agreeing.

  “Do Emily and Darcy live in town?”

  “Yeah. She doesn’t want anything to do with me. I can’t do anything about it. She’s got full custody and is an amazing mother.”

  Angel smiled. When she couldn’t get Tate a third time she left it alone, figuring her friend was too busy to answer the phone.

  The rest of the drive was peaceful. Blaine talked about his little girl and how advanced she was. Several times Angel rested her hand against her stomach wondering if she was pregnant. Lash never wore a condom with her. She probably should make him and get tested or something, but she trusted him.

  Shaking her head, they pulled into the driveway of Tate’s home. She saw Steven’s bike and was thankful Blaine would have someone to talk to.

  They walked around back. Tate had told her to always walk around the back. She let herself in the back door. The kitchen was silent.

  “Tate, honey, we’re here. I finally talked Lash into letting me come.” They rounded a corner, and Angel froze.

  Steven was on the ground, a pool of blood around him. Tate was stood with her arms out in surrender. Tears were spilling from her cheeks as she looked at the man in front of her. Angel didn’t recognise him, but she saw Murphy at the back of the group.

  Blaine tried to pull her out of the way. He was pulling a gun out of his pocket. It was too late.

  Two shots were fired, and Angel felt his grip loosen. He fell to the floor at her feet. Tate screamed, and Eva was jerked. Angel stared at the man at her feet. She’d been getting to know him. He was a father and turning his life around.

  Going to her knees she stared at his chest and stomach. Blood was oozing out of holes. Tears sprang to her eyes.

  “No, this can’t be happening.” She pressed her hands to the wound trying to stem the blood flow.

  “Please,” he said, coughing.

  Someone grabbed her arm tugging at her.

  “Leave me alone!” She screamed, pulling away and going to Blaine.

  “I’m sorry,” Blaine said.

  Tears spilled down her cheeks. No, it was so unfair. He was making his life better. The club would fix him, and he’d get his happily ever after.

  “Don’t be sorry. This is not your fault.” She applied more pressure to the wounds and cried as she felt the blood pooling out of the wound.

  He reached in his pocket. “Tell … Emily … I’m sorry … I … was trying.”

  “Don’t talk, Blaine. You’re going to see her.”

  His eyes closed, and Angel didn’t have time to check before she was pulled roughly to her feet.

  “Get the fuck away from him. He’s dead, bitch.”

  Angel didn’t feel the pain from being pulled. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from Blaine or from Steven. They were both Prospects, and yet they were dead at her feet like they were nothing. She’d gotten to know them both, and now they were dead.

  Shoved against Tate, Angel stared at the men before her. She saw the Lion emblem, and instant hate consumed her.

  “Why didn’t you take the hint when I didn’t answer the phone?” Tate asked, crying.

  “I thought you were in the shower or something.” She was numb. There were no other words to describe what she was feeling.

  “I wish I was.”

  “Call your fucking father, bitch. Let him know that we’ve got this town, and his crew better stand in line or we’ll fucking kill you.”

  Tate was handed a phone. Angel saw the other woman hesitate. She glanced at the back of the crew and saw Murphy staring at Tate. What she saw next terrified her. Her father was stood next to Murphy. His face was hard as if a mask had come over him. He glared at her but didn’t say a word. Hatred filled her at the sight. Her own father was the one responsible for all this mess. He was betraying The Skulls, and she wished he didn’t make it through this day. The bastard deserved to rot for what had just happened to Blaine.

  “Make the call, Tate,” Angel said.

  Her hands were shaking as she squeezed her friend’s hand. Glancing down she saw her hands were covered with red. Rubbing them down the skirt she wore, she tried to wipe Blaine’s blood of her hands. How could he be dead? He was getting his life together.

  Shaking her head, she listened to Tate as she said hello to her father.

  The phone was loud enough for her to hear the conversation.

  “Hello, Tate, honey, what’s the matter?” Tiny asked.

  “Dad, you need to come home. The … the Lions are here, and Steven’s down. Blaine’s down as well.”

  “Give me the phone, bitch.” The guy in charge snatched the phone and started cursing down the phone.

  “Are you happy now?” Tate asked. Her gaze was directed at Murphy.

  Angel wrapped her arms around Tate, holding her close.

  “Is this what you wanted, death? No wonder you wanted to go with the Lions, they’re just fucking pigs in a jacket,” Tate said. The man holding the phone backhanded Tate.

  She got hurt in the process.

  “I suggest you get your asses down here. We’re going to end this, and then I’m taking your daughter, Tiny. She’s got a smart mouth, but I know what to do with a smart mouth, bitch. Just ask the whores who work for me.”

  The phone was thrown to the floor and stamped on.

  Angel went to her knees. She cupped Tate’s face and saw her friend had a split lip. How she could see past the tears was beyond her.

  “We’ll get through this. Tate, look at me. We’ll get through this.”

  “Your daughter’s a dreamer, Marston.”

  She didn’t let his words affect her. Holding Tate in her arms she saw Eva was let go. The other woman went to Tate’s side.

  “Come here, baby.”

  Even though there was less than ten years between the women, Tate curled up against Eva. “Your father will come, I promise.”

  For the next thirty minutes Angel sat on the floor with her legs folded waiting for the others to arrive. She never thought she’d be so relieved to hear the sound of bikes. Outside the front window she saw the shadows of the bikes crowd around. Letting out a sigh she held her breath as the front door was opened. Tiny, Lash, Nash, Butch, Zero and several of the other bikers including Hardy entered the house. Angel realised the shit was going down in Tiny’s house. If this was her home, she’d be pissed. From the look on his face, Tiny was more than pissed. He was livid.

  “You finally decided to turn up,” the man said.


  “We meet again, Jeff,” Tiny said. “Tate, you okay?”

  “Been better.”

  “Eva?” Tiny asked. His gaze never strayed from the man now known as Jeff.

  “Fine.”

  Angel looked at Lash. His face was hard as he looked at her. Angel couldn’t do anything to comfort him. She was in pain.

  “Now, let me tell you how things are going to go. You’re going to pack your shit up, and you’re going to leave Fort Wills. This is Lion territory now. My land, my club, and you’re going to get the fuck out of town,” Jeff said. Her father was pulled to the front. “He’s transferred all of your funds into my account. You’re penniless. I’ve won.”

  There was silence at Jeff’s demands, and then Tiny burst out laughing followed by the rest of the men.

  “What’s so fucking funny?” Jeff yelled at the room.

  “You’re so fucking stupid to think I’d trust that piece of shit with my money. David got fuck all other than what we fed him. In fact.” Tiny held his hand out to the group. Nash handed him a piece of paper. “We’ve got everything from your club. Your money, which was very little, and we’ve bought your property, Jeff. You’re gone, finished.”

  “What? How?” Jeff asked, looking startled.

  “Do you really think we’d let David loose on our money? We’ve got cameras all around and to listen and to watch. We heard him make the deal with you. He’s a sloppy guy, and it was easy to change everything he did.”

  Jeff turned to growl at David.

  “I didn’t think anyone was watching me,” David said.

  “You didn’t even check. You fucking idiot.”

  “So, you’re in my house, threatening my family, and you think you’re going to walk away from that?” Tiny asked.

  Angel watched as Jeff went angry. The Skulls were laughing at him, all because of David’s sloppiness and greed. It felt like it was in slow motion, but Jeff moved to them. He kicked Tate out of the way and pointed a gun at Eva.

  Silence rang out once more. “I see I’ve got your attention. How about I kill your nanny?”

  The only way to describe the expression on Tiny’s face was cold. It was like he grew frozen.

  “I see I’ve got your attention.”

  “You’ve picked the wrong woman,” Eva said. “I’m the working nanny. I’m not that important.”

  “Shut up, Eva,” Tate said.

  Angel screamed as another shot rang out. Eva slumped on the ground holding her chest. Jeff walked close to the other woman. Tiny was held back by his bikers.

  “Let’s see if you’re right, honey. I think you mean more to Tiny than you think.”

  “Murphy, now!” Tiny roared the instruction, and all hell broke loose. Guns were fired, and Tate forced her to the floor. Angel covered her head, curling up as tight as possible as the fight rang out.

  She didn’t know how long the fight lasted. Her arm was touched, and when she turned around she saw Lash stood over her.

  “We’ve got it covered, baby,” he said.

  Looking around her she saw several fallen bodies, but there were also some of the Lions standing. Wrapping her arms around his neck he helped her to stand. “They shot Blaine. He’s hurt. We need to get him to the hospital,” she said.

  “We will. I promise.”

  Tiny had Jeff around the neck. “You fucking breathe in my direction again, and I’ll fucking kill you.”

  “I’m just going to handle this,” Lash said, stroking her cheek.

  Angel nodded going to Tate. She was knelt over Eva who held her shoulder.

  “I got shot,” Eva said.

  “I don’t think it’s inappropriate to ask for a raise,” Tate said.

  All three women chuckled. “I never expected so much excitement,” Angel said.

  Looking over her shoulder she saw Lash helping Tiny out. His brother was on the phone calling an ambulance. A couple of The Skulls were also checking to see if Blaine and Steven were alive. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her father stand to his feet. He held a gun in his hands, which he raised.

  Acting on instinct, Angel went to her feet and ran toward Lash. The shot rang out, and pain exploded inside her chest. She collapsed to the floor, and all she heard was the dull beating of her heart.

  ****

  Lash reacted. His woman had just been shot. He charged at her father, and the older man was no match for him. Lash was stronger, bigger, and he needed to hurt the man who’d hurt his woman. There was no stopping him. The room was washed in red, and it was all because of this man that there was so much blood.

  Grabbing the man, he slammed his head against David’s. He pummelled David’s body with his fists, and then when he couldn’t stand it anymore, Lash wrapped his hands around his neck and snapped.

  He despised the violence, but he couldn’t stop his actions. Lash watched David fall at his feet. Without waiting for the body to hit the ground he went to his knees beside Angel. Pulling her into his lap, he held her tight.

  “Lash,” she said. “It hurts.”

  “The ambulance is on its way. You stupid woman, you never step in front of a bullet.” Tears filled his eyes, and for the first time since his parents died, Lash let the tears fall.

  “I h-had t-to. He was going t-to s-shoot you.”

  He shook his head. The rest of the room faded against the pain of her bleeding out.

  “You shouldn’t have done it. I can take a bullet, but I can’t lose you.”

  She smiled when she looked at him. “I love you.”

  His heart stopped beating. “What?”

  “I love you, Lash. You’re the only man for me.”

  Lash shook his head. “I love you, too, baby.”

  The paramedics crashed through the door, and they started working without even hesitating.

  Angel was taken from him, and Lash forced his way into the back of the ambulance. He knew the others would join him at the hospital. For the trip he needed to make sure she made it. Holding her hand, he refused to back down even when the paramedic glared at him.

  “Don’t fucking think of ordering me about,” Lash said, holding onto his woman.

  She passed out, but Lash wouldn’t let go. The trip to the hospital was fast, and only when he had to did he watch her be wheeled away. One of the nurses escorted him to a waiting room. He was covered in blood. Instead of cleaning the blood off, he sat in the seat waiting. The others in the room left him alone.

  Within the hour Tiny along with Tate and the others turned up. Tiny and Tate looked pale as they took a seat next to him.

  “They’re operating on Eva. She passed out before they moved her to the ambulance, and the guy said they couldn’t find a pulse,” Tate said, sitting next to him. “Eva’s strong, right? I mean, she can’t die.”

  Lash sat forward, locking his bloodied fingers together. “Everyone can die, Tate.” He thought about David. Shit, what was he going to do?

  “Some of our men are taking care of the mess,” Tiny said.

  Glancing toward his leader Lash frowned. “You can’t get rid of that mess, Tiny. I snapped Marston’s neck.”

  Tiny glared at him. “As far as anyone’s concerned nothing happened, and if it did, the Lions attacked us. I’m not losing one of my men to that scum, and that’s the last of it.”

  Lash went to argue, but Tate pressed a hand to his leg silencing him. “Don’t.” She mouthed the words at him.

  Hardy and Zero were sat next to the door. Lash imagined the others, including his brother, were taking care of business.

  “So, Murphy never left The Skulls?” Tate asked.

  Murphy had taken the role of being their spy. They’d made it look like a betrayal, but all the time Murphy was reporting back.

  “He did what we asked, honey,” Tiny said.

  Tate nodded. Lash looked at the woman he regarded as a sister and saw she was only just holding it together.

  “I need some coffee,” Tiny said, standing to leave.

 
Within the hour the rest of the crew turned up. When Tate saw Murphy she stormed out.

  Nash took the seat next to him. “Murphy hurt Tate.”

  “He left without any warning. She’s hurting, but she’ll get over it,” Lash said.

  “I hope you’re right.” Nash was silent for several minutes. “I took care of David. You’re not going down for this.”

  “I may not have a choice,” Lash said. “I killed a man.”

  “No, I lost two parents. I’m not losing you, Nigel. You’re all I’ve got left, and I’m not letting you go down for him.”

  He looked at his brother. For Nash to call him by his real name, Lash knew he was fighting with his emotions.

  “Okay, I’ll try,” Lash said.

  “Good.”

  There was silence once again.

  “So Angel’s the one?” Nash asked.

  “You must think it’s crazy loving her and only wanting to be with her. She’s my future, Nash. I love her, and I’d do everything to make her happy.” Lash smiled, remembering her say that she loved him. He was going to hold her to it as well.

  “No, crazy is fucking a woman you can’t stand just so you could get the chance to see the woman you really wanted,” Nash said.

  Glancing at his brother, Lash saw the mask come off Nash. He saw his brother, and the pain was clearly written on his face.

  “What do you mean?”

  Nash shook his head. “I’m a fucking sucker. Kate has a sister. She’s younger and sweet, and she doesn’t look at the jacket or anything. I could never be with her, but when she talks to me, she talks to me. She refuses to call me Nash. I’m Edward to her.” His brother laughed. “Can you believe I’m fucking a woman I can’t stand just so I can see her?”

  Lash stared at his brother shocked by the depth of emotion displayed.

  “No, Lash, I don’t think you’re crazy. I think you’re in love, and that I can understand.”

  “Mr. Myers?” A nurse came forward calling his name.

  Standing up Lash faced the nurse. “That’s me.”

  “Miss Marston is out of surgery and is awake. She’s asking for you.”

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “The bullet didn’t touch her heart, but it was still in there. The surgeons have removed the bullet with minimal damage. She won’t have the use of her arm for a few months.”