Page 59 of Sinful Mates

“Yes, angel,” I croaked. “I have to fucking do this and conquer them.” Otherwise, I’d be chained to them forever.

“All right.” Her voice came out softly, a patter of summer rain trickling down a hot steel roof. “Swing by and pick me up. Love you.”

I crushed the phone to my ear. “Say it again.”

“I love you, my hawk.” I never got sick of hearing it. Thanked Horus every day that she forgave me. That she was still mine.

“Love you, angel. See you soon.” I cut the call and pocketed my phone.

I caught Slade’s eye and ticked my head at him. He murmured an order for Zethan to watch the inspector and crossed to me.

I jerked my head at the two government safety inspectors raking over our club for any safety infringement they could find to shut us down.

“Nice start to the day.” My sarcasm probably went over like a ball of lead but at this point, all I could do was laugh when anything else invited my demons back.

Slade swiped at his beard. “Fucking Safe Work sticking their fucking beaks in our business. Fifteen years of club operation and not one visit until today.”

“Our friends are persistent.” I gripped my radio, my bond shrinking into the darkness, counting down until they came for me.

Slade’s foul glare told me to cool it on the derision.

I cut to the chase. “Cops pulled over Benny and Pitbull for speeding and a broken taillight that they busted.”

My brothers and I were extra cautious since Slade’s warning and Zethan killing the cops. Bikes checked weekly and any repairs conducted. Observing the speed limit and not drawing any attention from highway patrol cops. Staying out of trouble. No bars, no fights, good fucking behavior bonds.

Slade scraped at the back of his neck. “Fuck’n pigs.” Our bond was about to go thermonuclear.

“Funny.” I kicked my boot along the asphalted driveway. “That’s what Benny spat at the cop’s foot when they shoved him into the sedan for resisting the speeding ticket.”

“They got Dusty yesterday too. Pulled over by highway patrol police for speeding and he lost his license.” Slade scraped his beard with a severe swipe that promised to wipe away the superintendent and his cop buddies. “I can’t afford to lose more men. The fucking legal fees are gonna drain the Christmas bonuses.”

In battle, few came out unharmed. Bloody, scared, broken, forever changed. Only this wasn’t a battle of guns, bombs, tanks, and soldiers. This was a war for our salvation and freedom. Our damn souls were on the line, the cops the damn devils come to collect for all our sins.

My soul was past the point of forgiveness. I was forsaken. Rotten to the core. Murderer. Torturer. Vengeful. A devil in the flesh. Everything that happened we deserved.

Despite the forces bearing down on us, we weren’t going down without a goddamn fight. We had my family to think of. Little birds to protect, feed, and shelter. We wouldn’t leave them alone in this world when we promised to protect them.

I got out of my prison four years ago. Went on a rampage and murdered my captors. Fear soured in my stomach. Fermenting grains turning into whisky. I’d do the same if I had to kill every last cop in Bathurst and the state of New South Wales if they got between my family and me.

Hot coals settled under our bond, fuming, burning. “Cunts are taking my job causing chaos.”

We shared a humorless laugh. “We can’t have that, can we?”

Slade cut a glance over at Castor, who was still arguing with the officer about the legalities of the inspection.

“There’s no women here.” Castor gestured an arm wide. “We’re not operating a fucking shelter.”

Fuck. The cops were after the women. Wanted them dead. No witnesses to their crimes. No liabilities. All the more reason for Castor to release the insurance footage.

“I’ll ask you to refrain from using that language, sir.” The inspector scribbled something down.

Slade’s eyes fired with retribution. “They’re going to fucking find something ridiculous to shut us down. Get us for operating illegally. How the fuck am I gonna pay wages right before Christmas?”

Things were going to be tight if they shut down Bangers, Dirty Ink, and the clubhouse, restricting our income and ability to make it.

The murderous buzz on the bond flared. Slade, tempestuous. An uncontrollable storm ready for destruction if someone didn’t lower the tension. Wary and uneasy, I stood by my president, protecting him from himself, from making the same mistake as Zethan. From dragging us further into the depths of Hell.

Half an hour later, the Safe Work inspectors departed, leaving us with three safety improvements and a first warning with undercurrents of returning. We all felt Slade's need to murder as their car rolled away.

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