Page 5 of Deviant Bastards

Kayla and I move in perfect synchronicity as the song continues to play. A pair of arms wind around my waist, and under normal circumstances, I would be on the offensive here, but tonight I don’t give a shit; I just want to enjoy myself. I relax into the hold of the person behind me as the song changes to something much slower. This song is one that I haven’t heard before, but I still find my body moving along to the rhythm anyway. Kayla moves away from the dance floor, signalling that she's going for a drink. “He’s hot!” she mouths as she laughs and walks away. I spin in the arms of the guy behind me, and she’s right. He is hot, but not in a way that makes me feel anything. This guy has blue eyes and muscles for days, but he just doesn’t do it for me. His T-shirt hugs the muscles in his arms as we move. As the song dies down, I go to move away from him, but he snags my wrist in a vice-like grip.

“Aw, come on, babe, you don’t wanna dance with me anymore?” he asks, his voice husky and low, but all his voice does is fuel the fire that’s building in my veins. “No,” I say as I try to tug my arm from his grip. When he doesn’t let go, I lift my knee and hit him right in the balls. As he goes down, I slam my fist into his face. I feel rather than hear the sickening crunch of bone breaking, but I don’t give a shit. This fucker is ruining my night. I don’t have time to do anything else because suddenly, a pair of tattooed hands wrap around this guy’s throat. My gaze lifts, and I get pulled into a pair of deep, gunmetal-blue eyes that I’ve never seen before.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to lay your fucking hands on a woman?” the tattooed god growls at the guy. Not that the guy can answer because he can barely get enough air into his lungs with how hard this guy is squeezing. I put my hand on the new-comer's arm to get his attention. “Why don’t you let him go? You know, so he can breathe?” I coax as I gently peel his fingers from around the other guy’s throat. The sleazeball splutters and scuttles like a crab back a few steps.

I drop down until my lips are level with his ear. “Don’t ever lay your fucking hands on me or any woman again. If I choose to walk away when the song ends, then that should tell you that I’m done dancing,” I growl low. I stand and signal for Bailey, who’s one of the bouncers on duty tonight. “We got a problem here, Harley?” he asks as he takes in the guy on the floor, and I nod. “Yeah, can you get this piece of shit out of here?” I ask, pointing to the dipshit on the floor. The guy just stutters as Bailey pulls him to his feet. “Wait, you’re throwing me the fuck out? What the fuck for?” the idiot rages and goes to lunge towards me. “Who the fuck do you think you are? You little whore!”

The guy with the tatts growls and makes a grab for the sleazeball again, but Bailey has him just out of reach. Bailey pulls him away from us and towards the exit. “Thanks for that,” I say to the guy with the tatts. “Guess I owe you a drink. Even if I already had him on his knees.” The guy chuckles and follows me towards the bar. “Hey, girl,” Kayla says as I step up beside her with Mr Tattoos close behind me.

“The fuck was all that about?” She asks, so I fill her in on what happened as a drink is placed on the table in front of me, and another is placed in front of my saviour. A shadow looms over us. I look up, flashing him a smile and a wink. Luke may be Kayla’s big brother, but he’s like one to me too. “Thanks, man,” my saviour says to Luke, who watches the guy with an unreadable expression. He’s overprotective of both Kayla and me, more so when guys get a little handsy with us. He smiles and walks back towards the DJ booth, clearly happy that I’m being looked after by my saviour.

Mr Tattoos takes a drink of his beer and then turns back to me. “I’m Ric, nice to meet you.” I take my time to really look at him. He’s at least six foot two and has a short, chestnut-brown mohawk. He’s wearing a black T-shirt which fits his body like a second skin, and he has tattoos covering every inch of his thick, muscular arms. I feel a flush creep up my skin as he clears his throat at my checking him out. “Harley,” I say as I hold my hand out for him. He takes my hand in his and kisses the back of it. My insides melt at the action. “Well then, Harley. Do you want to dance?” he asks. I quickly finish my drink, nodding yes.

“I’ll be right here,” Kayla says as she gives me a little wave. I know that by the end of the night, she will find someone to dance with, and then I won’t see her again for the rest of the evening; it’s what she does. I mean, I love her to bits, but when we go out dancing, she always wanders off. The last time she did that Luke had to report her missing because she fucked off forthreedays. Eventually, we found her in some random dude’s house, but only because Luke had used the GPS on her phone to track her when it became apparent that she had no intention of coming home. I was so mad at her that I didn’t talk to her for a month after that night. My dad hates the fact that I’m friends with Kayla because he believes that if you go out together, then you come home together, but that’s not always the case where Kayla’s concerned.

I let Ric lead me onto the dance floor and through the packed bodies. Usually, this type of environment makes me nervous, and if I’m being honest with myself, I am a little wary because my dad’s voice is niggling in the back of my head along with Deacon’s, the latter telling me to watch my back.

We get lost in the music for fuck knows how long, and before I realise it, I’m sweating and needing another drink. We make our way towards the bar, and that’s when I realise that Kayla’s other older brother, Jamie, is the bartender for the night, along with the guy who was serving earlier. Ric orders for both of us, and Jamie glances at me, so I nod my head. I love how Kayla’s brothers look out for me; they always have. Even when we were kids, and I was with Kayla twenty-four-seven, they would watch us play from a distance. As we got older, it only got worse as Deacon and the guys became more like our shadows.

While we stand at the bar, I watch the people around me. Ric stands at my side while talking to Jamie about football. It’s a sport that I have zero interest in, but these two seem to be hitting it off as if they’ve been friends for years. While they talk, I people watch. I don’t know if there is anyone from any of the other crews here tonight, and that makes me a little uneasy. I decide that this drink will be my last. I don’t want to get too drunk. I look for Kayla but don’t see her, so I guess she has found someone to either dance with or she’s fucking them in the back room.

“Uh, Jamie, have you seen K?” I ask, and even though I know that the chances are she’s fine, I still can’t help the pit of dread building in my stomach. “Nope, but you know Kayla,” Jamie says as he begins to glance around the club. “There she is,” he says as he points towards the dance floor. Sure enough, there’s Kayla dancing in the middle of a group of guys, who from this distance, look to be a bit handsy. Jamie signals to Bailey, who has since returned from throwing out the sleazeball. “Keep an eye on my sister,” Jamie instructs him. Bailey nods, assuming his stance at the edge of the dance floor, catching Kayla’s attention. She looks towards us and raises her brows at her brother.

The guys have always been protective of Kayla, more so since they lost their mum. Kayla’s mum, Brianna, died of cancer when Kayla and I were sixteen, which meant that Luke became her legal guardian when he was just twenty-six, and Jamie was twenty-four. Kayla spiralled for a bit, struggling with her mum being gone. Her mum was the constant parent, while her dad had taken off the minute Kayla was born. The arsehole couldn’t cope with having three kids. Brianna always said he was a waste of space.

I can feel Ric’s gaze on me, so I turn my body slightly towards him. “So, do your tattoos have significant meaning?” I ask him. I know a lot of people get tattoos just to do so, but I know for others, it’s because it means something to them. He has a full sleeve along with tattoos on his chest that I can see peeking through the top of his t-shirt. The one that fascinates me the most is the skull that has a dagger going through its head while flames dance behind it. He turns to me and grins. “Nah, I got them just because I felt like it. Well, except this one here,” he says as he points to the tatt that’s on his left arm. “This one I got for my sister.” It’s a heart with daisies around it and a banner that reads ‘Always with me’. Before I can ask him what happened, he pulls me into his arms which shocks me a little, but I don’t mind, the alcohol kind of fuelling my desire. “Want to get out of here?” For a second, I let his question roll around in my head. Yes, I want to get out of here, but at the same time, I feel the need to be cautious.

“There’s a coffee shop around the corner, we can go there and chat some more.” A public place would be nice because witnesses and all that, plus the coffee shop will be a little quieter, making it easier for us to talk. I nod. As we pass the end of the bar, I feel Jamie’s gaze on me. “Be safe,” he says as he goes back to serving the other patrons. I love that the guys worry about me, but if I’m in a public place, then I should be fine. Ric takes my hand in his as he leads me towards the club’s exit. His hungry gaze locks with mine sending shivers down my spine. He leads me out the door and around the corner slightly before he pins me against the side of the building. He plants both arms on either side of my head. Our height difference causes me to tilt my head up to study the expression on his face.

He starts to lean down towards me, an expectant look on his face. Just when I think he’s going to kiss me, his body is wrenched away from me; two guys have Ric on the ground, punching and kicking him. No one tries to help. The small crowd that is outside stands by and just watches. So, I do the only thing I can; I launch myself at one of the guys, grabbing one by a fistful of his hair.

“Get off of him, you son of a bitch!” I scream at him, but the guy just shakes me off and goes back to kicking Ric. A set of strong arms wrap around my waist and begins pulling me away from the guys. I kick against the body of whoever is holding me. One of my feet connects with the guy’s dick, and he curses as he loosens his grip slightly. Using that to my advantage, I jerk out of his hold, running back towards the car park. It is now deserted except for Ric and the other two guys, one of which is laid out cold on the concrete. I guess Ric must have gotten the better of him. As I approach Ric and the other guy, someone grabs hold of my hair. “Come here, Little Brawler,” the guy says as he painfully yanks me back towards him. My head jerks as my hands instinctively reach up to try and peel his hands lose. This only makes him laugh as a big hand comes up and tries to cover my mouth. “RIC!” I yell, hoping that he will have put the other guy down by now and is able to come help me. I listen for the pounding of feet but hear nothing. The guy who holds me chuckles. “No one is going to save you. Just give up now.”

His voice sounds so familiar to me, and yet, I can’t figure out how I know it. His hand comes up to cover my mouth as he drags me towards a dark van. My eyes scan the car park for someone, anyone, but it becomes all too apparent that no one is going to come to my rescue. I continue to thrash and kick against the guy holding me as he bundles me into the back of the van, where another two men in ski masks wait for us. I throw my head back, and the gratifying sound of bone cracking and splintering apart meets my ears. “Fuck!” the guy holding me hisses. I throw myself at the two guys in the back of the van, and my fist connects with the one straight in front of me, hitting him square on the jaw.

He grabs my arm as the other one grins, coming towards me with a cloth in his hand. The scent of cloves hits me, and I struggle not to gag. The big guy who was holding me pulls me back against him, his grip on me tightening as the hulk looking guy gets closer and puts the cloth over my mouth and nose. The last thoughts that enter my head as the darkness pulls me under is how disappointed my father will be when he finds my dead body, and who will look after my Ellie once I’m gone?

ChapterFour

KENDRIC

“Shit!” Barker curses as the Brat finally passes out from the chloroform. “Little Brawler broke my fucking nose.” He continues to complain as he climbs from the back of the van and plonks himself down into the passenger seat. I start the van up, peeling out of the car park and away from Club Ivy before anyone notices that she’s missing. See, the benefit of being me is that the small crowd who witnessed the fight won’t say shit because the fuckers know better. Everyone around here knows that the Reapers are not to be fucked with, although the East Side Warriors are the ones that run this side of town.

The West Side Reapers are the most feared gang in London. Or we were until my father was murdered in cold blood by the mother fucker who runs the Warriors. Hence the mission to kidnap the Warrior Brat. Her father will pay the ultimate price for taking mine from me. My hands grip the steering wheel tighter in an effort to stop myself from pulling over to the side of the fucking road to just shoot her, right here and now. My attention is diverted to Barker as he rummages around in the glove box, looking for painkillers for his broken nose. I have to hand it to her; Harley fought my guys all the way.But then, what should I have expected?When we were kids, she didn’t let me or any other guys push her around. Deacon taught her well. He was always the one who was teaching her how to fight and defend herself, despite the fact that her father would have happily kept her as a submissive, little girl.

In this world, most fathers keep their daughters out of the line of fire; Grayson is no exception to that. He wanted Harley to stay out of the business, but when it became apparent that he wasn’t going to get a son, he began letting her see a little more of his business. Although, the leaders of the other London gangs won’t take too kindly to taking orders from a woman, even one as strong and independent as Harley. Grayson has no idea that Deacon has been training her since she was six-years-old, but I recall all the times I was dragged over there because my dad had a meeting, and I remember watching her from the shadows.

I would watch the way that Deacon interacted with her. He took on the role of big brother and protector, but where was he tonight? How did the Warrior Brat manage to slip past him and his men, I wonder? “Where we going, Boss?” Gryffin asks from his spot in the back of the van. He has Harley’s head in his lap, protecting her from being injured any further. I don’t like the way my men are admiring or being protective of the enemy’s daughter. “The safe house by the lake,” I grunt.

“You think Gadge is okay, Boss?” Barker asks despite knowing that my other guys hadn’t actually roughed up our brother too much, just enough for Harley not to suspect anything. “He’ll be fine,” I say as I pull onto the gravel road that leads to the safe house. There are no other houses around here except this one. The nearest house is ten miles away. That’s what makes this the best option for holding her. It’s a place that very few know about, and therefore, it will be almost impossible to find.

As we pull up outside the three-story house, I can’t help but think that Gadge enjoyed playing the role of me a little too much tonight. I watched the way he interacted and flirted with Harley. Once or twice, I had to stop myself from storming over there and pulling her away from him. Although, I am glad that he was the one to deal with the sleazeball who thought that he could put his hands on my girl. My girl! Ha! That random thought makes me laugh because I wouldn't touch her if she were the last girl on Earth, but she is MINE. She is my revenge. Mine to take, and mine to break. She will be the stepping stone that will lift me to where I should be standing. A means to my end, and if her father doesn't give me what I want, then she is dead, simple as that.

I walk ahead, leaving Barker and Gryffin to bring our prisoner to her new home. Making my way into the basement, I can’t help but think of all the ways that I’m going to make her father pay for what he did. The basement has a single bed in it and a bathroom off to the side. I’m not a complete arsehole, but she will be guarded at all times, and the door will remain locked if my guys know what’s good for them.

Gryffin carries her still unconscious body down the stairs, and he gently lays her down on the bed. She is going to be so pissed when she wakes up and realises that Gadge played her. I can’t help the malicious grin that takes hold of my face while just thinking about it. Gryffin and I walk back up the stairs where Gadge waits with Barker, the former now has his nose taped up. “I want you three on rotation, watching her. The door stays fucking locked unless you’re going down with food, and one of you will guard the fucking door.” The guys nod their heads. “Now, I’m going to get the word out that she’s been taken. But we’ll let her father sweat a little bit before we contact him.”

I walk away from the guys as they decide who’ll be watching her first. Gryffin catches up to me as Gadge locks himself away in his computer room on the ground floor. “Ric, you think it’s a clever idea to be putting the word out already?” He asks as he steps beside me. He knows that this needs to be done. “Do you think that if I didn’t, I wouldn’t?” I growl at him; this is the way that it’s gonna be whether my guys like it or fucking not. They will do as they’re told. “Her shit-head of a father needs to answer for his fucking crimes, and if that means taking his precious princess away, then that’s what we fucking do.” My body shakes as the white-hot anger takes hold of me, and Gryffin takes a step back. He doesn’t respond, just walks away. “Tell Barker to be careful when she wakes up. She’s going to be even more pissed off.” I yell at his retreating form. Heading to my office, I decide to contact Lee, the leader of the South Side Assassins. I want to know if he’s game for helping me take down the Warriors or, at the very least, killing Grayson. The treaty has already been dissolved, so it won’t do any more damage than what’s already been done.

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