Page 3 of Outlaws' Dirty Secret

“It’s open!”

Inside, music plays softly from a radio in the corner, and rainbow light filters down onto the floor from a stained glass window above. The club president is leaning back in his chair with his heels on the desk, laptop balanced on his thighs.

He looks up when I come in. “What’s up?”

“It’s probably nothing, but I found something over at the old lady’s place that I thought I’d run by you.”

“What the fuck were you doing over there?” He puts the laptop aside and swings his legs to the floor, sitting up. “Is the Skye girl looking to sell? Lasted longer than I woulda thought.”

“Nah, and it doesn’t sound like she’s in a hurry, either. We were doing some work at the place next door—you know, the one Ghost and Savage are looking at for Jessica—when Willowstarted screaming like a fucking banshee and we found her flat out on the grass thinking she’d dug up a fucking skeleton.”

“Willow, huh? You’re on a first name basis now?” Hellfire grins. “Take it that wasn’t the case? What was it, Halloween decoration?”

“Yeah, we’re best fucking friends,” I say with an eye roll. Not that I would mind finding out if she screams just as loud in the sack. She looked like she had one hell of a body under those overalls. “Oh, it was real enough, just not human. Recognize anything?” I drop my find on Hellfire’s desk with no ceremony. Along with the bones, there was a dog collar embedded in the dirt and one of the tags caught my eye: the military ID of a guy named Lucien Tanner.

As president of the Outlaw Sons, anything and everything that could affect the club is Hellfire’s business. In the years since he took over from General, I’ve watched the weight of that settle on his shoulders, and I can’t fucking say that I envy the guy. Being an officer is about as much as I’m up for, and even that took a lot of thinking before I agreed. After leaving the Army I swore I’d never take responsibility for anyone other than myself again, but some things run deep, and turns out I don’t fucking have it in me to sit back and keep my mouth shut.

He picks up the small metal tag and runs his thumb over the pocked surface. “Tanner? Shit, that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. Just animal bones?”

“Nope. Could be there’s more, but if I had to bet, I’d say it was just the dog. Deep enough that someone put it there on purpose, but not as deep as I’d dig to hide a body. Chances are the old lady or someone who lived there found a dead dog in their yardand took care of it. I wouldn’t have given it a second thought if I hadn’t seen the ID. Tanner. That was one of ours, right?”

“Yeah.” Hellfire leans back, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “Before your time. I was still fresh and Tanner was a couple years in. He was a fucking hothead. He didn’t like when General got serious about the club and started really getting fucking organized. Something went down between him and General after a raid that turned south, but when he vanished most of us just figured he walked. He had a big fucking mutt that followed him everywhere. A cross between a mastiff and, I dunno, a fucking hellhound, from what I could tell. I’ll talk to Bonnie. She might know more. Keep it to yourselves for now, got it? No point getting the boys speculating over nothing.”

I nod. “Yes, sir.”

He snorts. “I’m not your fucking commander.”

I shrug. Guys like us need a hierarchy. Half the brothers ended up here because they couldn’t fit in on the outside. Too big to squeeze themselves into 9-5 lives. Knowing who’s in charge and that they could put a bullet in your fucking head if you step too far out of line helps a certain type of personality relax. Keeps things from turning ugly. Hellfire knows it as well as I do. Better maybe. He’s the one that’s had to pull the trigger.

“You think the girl’s gonna make it a problem? She’s been a pain in our asses so far, refusing to sell even though she’s the only one fucking left. I’m surprised she hasn’t moved out yet, all by herself down there. If I didn’t know you fuckers I sure as hell wouldn’t want you for neighbors.” Hellfire grins.

I chuckle in agreement, but her choice to stay does make me respect her a little, even if it would be easier to secure the club ifwe owned all the bordering properties. “Doubt it. She’s got spirit but she could barely look at some dog bones. Doesn’t strike me as the type that wants to take on the club.”

Which is too fucking bad. That kind of shy, little bit alternative girl next door was exactly my type before I enlisted and my life went down roads that scare off the sweet ones. If she wants to take me on, I’m game. Easy enough to imagine her not wearing a shirt under her overalls, and slipping my hands in to get a feel of the soft tits underneath.

Hellfire scratches a hand over his jaw and nods. “To be safe, I want you and your boys to keep an eye on the place. You said she was struggling with the yard. How about you offer to do the heavy lifting?”

“You want us to fuckinggarden?” I ask before his meaning really sinks in. “Oh, you want us to make real damn sure Tanner isn’t gonna turn up under her tomatoes.”

He taps the end of his nose and points at me. “Exactly.”

A roar of engines fills the church, fading away as the returning brothers roll into the courtyard outside. A few moments later, a door bangs in the church and voices come our way. I recognize the VPs’ voices even before Savage walks in with Ghost on his heels. They look like they need sleep, a shower and maybe some stitches, but they are both grinning huge.

Hellfire springs to his feet. “Did you secure the pick-up?”

“Fuck yeah we did,” Savage says with nod. He rubs a hand through his short hair and winces, working out a knot that might be dried blood. “You should see the other guys.”

“There weren’t supposed to be other guys,” Hellfire snarls.

“No shit,” Ghost snaps in agreement. He’s not a fan of surprises. “Don’t know who let the drop location slip, but there were some fucking vultures waiting for us.”

“Damage?” I ask. They look alright, all things considered, but that doesn’t mean everyone made it back.

Ghost shakes his head. “Nothing major. We sent them running and all the goods are getting moved into storage as we speak.”

“Good work,” Hellfire growls. “Chafik would be calling for blood if we showed up empty-handed to the handoff. I want you to round up more men for it, and I’m coming along this time. There’s a lot of money riding on this, and even if there wasn’t, we fucking defend our own. Now is there anything else? Or can I get my fucking office back?”

Savage shakes his head. “Nothing from me. I’m gonna go find my old lady. Got a little energy to work out.”

---