“When I was sixteen, I prospected for a club in Adelaide called the Bushrangers. They didn’t have a great reputation, but I ignored everything I heard. They all had money, and that’s all I wanted. Then. I didn’t even care how they got the money. I was a prospect for two years, and it was brutal, but I was committed. When I got my patch, I thought I made it. The money was good, and the work wasn’t that hard. The club made most of its money selling drugs and loansharking. We also worked security gigs and some construction.”
I take a sip of beer as I stare back into the past.
“Our President, a real hard ass by the name of Vandal. He was a bastard who decided that we needed to offer ‘protection’ to the shopkeepers in Adelaide.” I even provide the air quotes.
“One of the shopkeepers was my dad,” Zara chimes in. “They expected him to pay $300 a week.”
Chrome whistles.
“What happened if folks didn’t pay?” Cicely asks.
“They got a visit from the club and either received a beatdown or their shops busted up,” I say.
“Or worse,” Zara mutters.
“I take it your dad didn’t pay?” Cicely asks.
“He did, at first. But while that sum wasn’t great, it still cut into our profits so much that we were struggling to keep the doors open,” Zara says. “My dad got several of the shopkeeperstogether. They waited for the club to arrive in town and ambushed them. The bikers escaped and retreated.”
“I take it that didn’t end the trouble,” Cicely muses.
“No. It pissed them off,” I say. “Vandal swore to make the town pay, but especially Zara’s dad. He made a plan to burn down the businesses that belonged to those who stood up to us, but he also wanted to grab Zara and her father. He planned to kill her in front of him. I couldn’t let that happen.” I shift in my seat at the lie. Vandal planned to do more than kill Zara. He and other club members would have gang raped her while her father watched. This had been Menace’s goal all along. Zara, being a child, wouldn’t have made a difference to him.
“What did you do?” Cicely, leaning forward. She’s enthralled with the story.
“He came to the house to warn us. He risked his life to tell my dad to take me and get out of town for a few days. My dad almost shot him when he rode up to tell us.”
I smirk. “Yeah, I figured it was a risk, but I had to take the chance. Your dad didn’t shoot me. He listened to me.”
“We left a few minutes after Whip showed up. When we came back, we found the club was no longer an issue.”
“What happened?”
“I set them up. I knew the plan and told the cops what was going down. They were ready for them. When the club showed up at the first business, they were focused on the building and didn’t notice the cops surrounding them until it was too late. That might have had something to do with the fact that I was supposed to be the lookout. Every club member was arrested and incarcerated. That’s when I left town. I knew they would figure out that I betrayed them. I came to the States and kicked around for a bit before meeting Chrome.”
“And now they’ve found you?” Cicely asks, sharing a concerned look with Chrome.
I glance at Zara. “You said you saw Menace? Did you see anyone else?”
CHAPTER 4: ZARA
I nod at Whip. “When I arrived at the hotel. I was about to get out of the taxi when I heard the motorcycles pull up. There were three of them, and I immediately recognized the kuttes. Menace was arguing with the valet about leaving the bikes where they were. Then the three of them strode into the hotel.”
“You didn’t see who was with him?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry. I couldn’t take my eyes off Menace. I couldn’t believe he was here. His presence threw me.”
“I get it,” Whip says, brushing his hand over my hair. I remember him doing something similar the night he came to warn my father and me. A soothing gesture that made my young heart go pitter-patter. He’s just as hot today as he was then.
“We should call the hotel and see if they’re registered there. Do you know their real names?” Cicely asks.
Whip nods. “I do. I’ll have Mode search. He can check Zara’s hotel and others in the area. Plus, I’d like to know how they got into the country.” Whip stands, but puts a hand on my shoulder. “Finish your brandy. You’re safe here. No one will touch you, I promise. I’ll be right back.”
I watch him leave. When the door shuts behind him, I find Chrome and Cicely giving me matching smirks.
“What?” I ask, feeling my cheeks heat up.
“You have a crush on Bush,” Cicely says with a smile.
