Deceived (6 page)

Chapter Thirteen

Zane, President of the Hell Hounds MC, was not happy. Three of his men had gone missing with no trace. The few customers left at the bar where his members were last seen said they didn’t see anything. He was sure they were lying. They didn’t want to be caught up in a club war---better just to play dumb.

Zane and a few of his club members looked over the parking lot of the bar and found some shell casings. There was no blood on the pavement, so no one was shot. The shell casings came from guns that his club carried so it could have been his men firing for all he knew.

He did know one thing for sure---the KOBMC was involved. They had to be. This entire thing with their VP being strung up and then DD coming into their club and shooting up the place because of it. Zane knew his men didn’t kill Krank. There was no reason to, but now, it was all getting out of hand. However, like Eli couldn’t pin the murder of Krank on him, Zane couldn’t pin the disappearance of three of his men on the KOB.
Well, it’s not as if I’m the cops. I don’t have to have proof to go after the club
, he thought. But before he would risk his crew’s lives, he decided to give them a warning shot to back off.

****

Rose spent the rest of the afternoon primping for her night at Chancey’s Tavern with Dog. She just knew Dog would be patched in soon and she wanted to ensure she was his lady before that; otherwise, every bitch in the Tavern would take a pass at him. She didn’t think Dog was all that, in fact she thought she could do better, but all the club members either had old ladies or were too blind to see what a catch she was.

All Rose wanted was to belong to someone or something. She’d never felt the stability or love of a family. When she first entered, Chancey’s Tavern and was introduced to the KOBMC she knew right away that’s where she wanted to belong. The kinship felt within the club was magnetic, something she’d never experienced. But the only way to belong was to become a member’s old lady. So Rose did what she always did to ensure she had a man’s attention---offer her body. What Rose didn’t realize is that wasn’t a way to a man’s heart. Their cock sure, but when every member has had a taste, no one wants to lay claim to it. The club members loved their pussy, but when it came to picking an old lady, sex may be near the top of the list, but it didn’t trump love. And Rose didn’t know how to love, because she’d never felt it herself. All she knew was how to get what she wanted through sex.

So she primped, spraying tons of hairspray into her hair, layering on the foundation and blush, and topping it off with raspberry gloss on her lips. She wore a short black skirt with thong underwear. Her dark red blouse had a deep v-neck that stopped almost to her belly button. Rose was thin, so she felt no need to wear a bra on this sultry night. She strapped on her high heels, lit a cigarette, and headed for the door of her cramped apartment. It would be a night to remember she thought. And it would be, just not how she envisioned it.

****

Lexi arrived at Chancey’s Tavern at around 7pm. Eli motioned her to follow him to the warehouse and into a private office. As soon as he closed the door, he took her in his arms and delivered a long and lingering kiss.

When their lips finally parted he said, “I missed you.”

“I can tell,” Lexi said with a smile. “I missed you too.”

Eli grinned. The first time in almost a week.

“I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t in my life this week.”

“I’m here baby. Like I said before, I’m not going anywhere.”

Eli unbuttoned her silky blouse and undid her bra, letting both fall to the floor. He bent over and kissed her breasts tenderly and then hungrily until Lexi moaned with desire. Before she knew it, she was naked and laying on the sofa in the office. Eli stood before her in all his naked glory. His sex stood erect and Lexi couldn’t wait to wrap her lips around his manhood. She did so greedily, eliciting moans from Eli’s lips.

She brought him almost to climax, and then he pushed her gently down on the sofa where he mounted her to bring it home. Lexi felt the sensual sensations lacing through her limbs, cultivating before imploding through her body. Eli came at the same time, his body rocked by his own climax. They lay together, spent from the lovemaking, and feeling safe in one another’s arms. They fell asleep for an hour until the screams and yelling started.

****

Eli and Lexi hurriedly put on their clothes. Eli was the first to dash out the office door into who knows what. He barged into the Tavern to see people huddled around someone on the floor. He pushed people aside to see who it was. Sitting on the floor, being held upright by Alice and Dog Breath was Rose. Her cheeks were covered in blood. Eli couldn’t tell if her shirt was covered in blood as it matched the color of her cheeks.

“My God, what happened?” Eli asked no one in particular.

“Don’t know,” Dog said. “She just stumbled in the door like this and collapsed.”

“Quick, get her to the back office so Alice can see what’s going on.”

By that time, Lexi had entered the Tavern as Dog lifted Rose into his arms and carried her towards the back office.

“What happened?” Lexi asked Eli.

“Not sure. Hopefully she can tell us once she comes around.”

“I’m going to see if Alice needs some help,” Lexi said.

Dog had laid Rose on a cot in one of the back rooms. Alice commenced cleaning the blood from Rose’s face with a cool cloth. The blood was sticky as it coagulated. Alice cleaned the wounds carefully. Facial skin is thin and Rose would likely need stitches. When Rose came to, she’d be in a lot of pain.

Lexi met Dog as he was exiting the room.

“Who would have done this?” Lexi asked.

“It’s pretty cowardly, whoever did it. But someone’s sending a message, that’s for sure.”

Dog headed back up front as Lexi entered the room.

“Lexi, take this key and open the drawer to the desk,” Alice said as she removed a key from her pocket. “It’s the upper drawer on the left hand side.”

Lexi did as she was told. The drawer contained pill bottles, syringes encased in plastic, and small bottles filled with liquid medicine. Grab one of those syringes and a small bottle labeled Methadone. Lexi handed her the items and watched as Alice filled the syringe with the liquid and then injected it into Rose’s arm.

“She’s going to be in a world of hurt when she wakes up. I thought it better to go ahead and give her a painkiller now before she does,” Alice said.

“Good idea,” Lexi answered. “What can I do to help?”

“Grab me some more clean cloths. I need to get this blood off her face so I can see what we’re dealing with. It’s coagulated, which is good, but it’s very sticky and trying to remove it is difficult without causing the wounds to bleed again. Lexi hold her head still while I clean her wounds.”

Lexi pulled a chair around so she could sit at one end of the cot to hold Rose’s head in place. Alice continued to clean her face, and as she did so the wounds became clearer.

“Shit. We better get Eli in here,” Alice said.

Lexi looked on in disbelief at Rose’s face. She slowly rose from her chair to find Eli.

When Eli saw Lexi’s face as she entered the bar he knew the news wasn’t good.

“You need to come with me,” she said.

When Eli entered the back office he knew instantly what had turned Lexi’s face white.

Alice had cleaned almost all the blood from Rose’s face. A few bits remained where the blood had dried. Alice didn’t want to force it off until she had stitched the wounds. Underneath the blood was the carving on Rose’s cheeks.

A giant H
had been carved on each cheek. HH or Hell Hounds, the club’s usual MO.

“I’m going to have to stitch her up. The skin’s too thin,” Alice said to Eli. “I gave her some Methadone for the pain.”

“Will it leave scars?” Eli asked, already knowing the answer.

“Oh yes.” Alice answered.

Lexi’s eyes filled with tears. She and Rose hadn’t gotten off on the right foot, but she felt no animosity towards the girl. The ladies in the club had filled her in on Rose’s rough childhood and upbringing. The hard exterior Rose showed to the world was a result of that and Lexi wasn’t about to goad her on. Rose’s looks were her crown and glory and now this. How in the world would she come back from this? Bastards!
What a cowardly thing to do
Lexi thought.
If you have a beef with the club, then handle it with them, not a young girl who only frequents the place.

Lexi felt a rage build within her that she’d never felt before. Sure, she’d gotten angry, but not like this. A fire was burning and it wasn’t going to be extinguished anytime soon. She decided she would stay with Rose until she woke up.

Chapter Fourteen

Eli called a church meeting. He informed the rest of the club on Rose’s condition and the etchings carved on her face.

“What the fuck man!” Blaze exclaimed. “Why would they fuck with Rose?”

“Because they’re fucking cowards, that’s why.” Laser answered.

“It has to do with their missing men, I’m sure.” Eli said.

“They don’t know we had anything to do with that.” Laser said.

“I know, but just like we assumed they killed Krank, they’re doing the same thing with their missing men.”

“You didn’t assume the Hounds killed Krank,” Blaze said.

“No, but mainly because they didn’t leave their signature. This time they did, right on Rose’s face.”

“Shit.” Journey said. “So now what? We can’t just let them think they can get away with this crap.”

Eli’s head hurt. Ever since Krank’s death, his entire world was spinning out of control. Lexi was his only anchor in this fucked up carnival of chaos.

“First we’re going to hold a vote on patching in Dog and Hawk. We’ve lost several members and we need to patch in a couple of the prospects. Dog and Hawk have been with us the longest. I say we hold a vote.”

Eli led the members in a vote and then let the prospects know they were now part of the KOBMC. Patches were handed out and the ceremony didn’t last long. There was no time for festivities, as the club had to determine their next move.

“If we retaliate, it’s going to be a never ending cycle,” Blaze said. “I know what happened to Rose is despicable, but the Hounds have lost three of their men, and it was due to our club. I don’t believe Zane knows this for sure, but he has to be thinking it. So this was his way of saying back off.”

“How do you figure?” Laser asked.

“He didn’t hit a club member or an old lady. He knows Rose and that no one’s claimed her. But, he knew he could send a message via her and get it across without digging too deep a wound.” Blaze replied.

“I don’t think he wants an all out war either. He knows we can call in more chapters if needed and he’s all on his own. But he can’t seem weak in front of his men either. He’s taking the middle road and I say we hang back.”

“But that’s what we’ve been doing since Krank was killed,” Laser exclaimed.

“No, I told the club to lay low but DD had to take things into his own hands. So really no, the club hasn’t been hanging back,” Eli said. “This time I want the club to do as I say, or I’ll be the one burning the KOB tattoo off your back!”

Eli pounded his gavel on the table to adjourn the meeting. He hoped this time the club listened to him.

****

Eli looked in on Rose after the church meeting. Alice and Lexi remained at her side, sitting in chairs and waiting for her to wake up.

“How’s she doing?” he asked Alice as he stood with his hand on Lexi’s shoulder.

“I got her stitched up and chock full of antibacterial solution under the bandages to fight any infection. I think as far as that goes she’ll be okay. Mentally however…,” Alice just shook her head.

Eli looked down at Lexi and said, “Would you come outside for a sec.”

“What’s going on?” Lexi said when she met him in the hall.

“We know the Hounds did this to Rose, but we’re not retaliating, mainly because of the three men they lost due to DD going loco. We’re probably lucky if this is all they do.”

“This is being lucky? That poor girl won’t ever be the same,” Lexi said.

“You don’t understand Lexi. It’s tit for tat with clubs. The thing is they don’t know their three men are dead. They can speculate--hell that seems to be what we all have been doing for the last few weeks. But Zane had to send a message. I just should have seen it coming.”

“You just buried your father, how could you see it coming?”

“I blame myself. What happened to Rose is on the club and me. We’ll take care of her. Whatever she needs.”

At that moment, they heard sounds coming from inside the office. Rose was coming around and touching the bandages taped to her face.

“Rose, don’t pull at the bandages now,” Alice said. “You’ve go to leave them be.”

“What happened to me?” Rose asked still in a daze.

“It’s okay baby. I got you all fixed up, but you have to keep the bandages on or it will get infected,” Alice said as she tried to pull Rose’s hands away from her face.

“But I have to see.” Rose exclaimed.

Eli walked into the room and stooped down to Rose’s level on the cot. He took a hold of her hands gently. “Rose, what happened? Do you remember anything?”

“Somebody grabbed me as soon as I got out of my car in the parking lot. Then everything went black,” Rose said. Her eyes glistened with tears.

“I kind of remember being pushed out of a car here in the parking lot and feeling like my face was wet. I made it to the front door of the Tavern and then I think I blacked out again. What’s wrong with me? Why do I have bandages on my face? Why does my face hurt?” She asked Eli, pleading for answers.

“You’re going to be alright Rose. The club is going to take care of you okay. Don’t worry baby. Just lie back and try to get some sleep. Will you do that for me?”

Rose couldn’t deny Eli. She nodded her head yes and let it sink back onto the pillow.

“Would it be okay to give her something to make her sleep Alice?” Eli asked.

“I gave her Methadone for the pain a few hours ago. I’ll give her a sleeping pill and that should get her through the night.”

“Okay, sounds good,” Eli replied.

He turned to Lexi. “Let’s go home. We can’t do anything else tonight.”

She looked to Alice. “Go ahead hon. I know you have work tomorrow. I’ll stay with Rose tonight.”

“I’ll have the boys bring another cot in for you Alice.” Eli said.

“That’ll be great. Now get on out of here.”

As they headed out the door of the Tavern Lexi said to Eli, “Why don’t you spend the night at my place? I have an early morning tomorrow at the restaurant and it might be good for you to take a break from your father’s house.”

“Yeah, I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” he said with a smile and a kiss.