Beast (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #4) (The Righteous Outlaws) Read online

  “Yeah,” he grumbled, and I held my hand out to seal it. He stared at it again like he was going to catch something if he touched me.

  “I don’t bite.”

  “That’s a damn shame.” He finally took my hand in his much larger one. It was calloused and rough, the signs of a working man who knew how to handle himself. “I like it rough.”

  “My father did warn me about you.”

  “Me?” Pure amusement shot through me at the slight shock in his tone.

  “Yeah, you. He said most of the Outlaws are tied down now, but that you’re the quiet one, and he swears the quiet ones are always the most dangerous.”

  “Smart man.”

  “The smartest.” I smiled. “He’s been catching me up on everything, making sure to fill in any gaps. It should be an easy transition when he retires.”

  “When?”

  I was starting to think the man didn’t know how to form complete sentences.

  “He still hasn’t picked an exact date, but if my mother has anything to say about it, it’ll be sooner rather than later.” She’d hoped he’d have retired ten years ago, but the old man was stubborn right down to his bones. He refused. The force gave him value and respect. Without it, he was an old man who once served the town of Black Hills. If it wasn’t for his body giving out on him, I’m sure he’d stay on for another decade.

  Beast nodded in response.

  “I’ll be in touch.” I got into my cruiser, feeling his dark gaze following me the entire way as I pulled out of the abandoned lot. The glass of wine was still calling me, but I needed to make a stop at the station first. Dad might have filled me in on the dealings of the Righteous Outlaws, but I needed to know more. I needed to know exactly what I was getting into and with whom.

  A few men in leather that had a few misdemeanors, maybe a couple felonies, under their belts was nothing I needed to worry about. But, for some reason after meeting Beast, I had a feeling their rap sheet was a lot heavier than what I originally assumed.

  The station was on the other side of town, and I headed down Main Street. As I drove through town, I took note of a cute little boutique that I’d been meaning to stop in and watched as some people exited the shop. I didn’t have many clothes other than my uniform and some workout gear, neither of which Mom found acceptable for family dinners. I loved my mother, but I was sick of her comparing me to my sister and her ridiculous sense of fashion. So what if I preferred yoga pants to dresses? It’s not like it made me a bad person.

  Besides, growing up, Mom took dress-up to a new level and treated me like a Barbie Doll. She put me in enough god-awful dresses to last me a lifetime. She hated that I chose a career in law enforcement. She would have preferred if I became a lawyer, a teacher or a secretary, anything to keep me out of harm’s way and in more ladylike clothing. To this day, I could still see the disappointment on her face when I told her I was going to be a police officer. The tears building behind her brown eyes before she excused herself to the bathroom. Luckily, Dad supported me, and was proud I chose to follow in his footsteps despite what my mother thought.

  I pulled the car into the lot and headed inside. It was later in the day, and Dad’s shift had ended an hour ago, but I wasn’t surprised to see his office door ajar and the light still on. I gave a tap on the old wood before going in.

  “Hey, munchkin. Come in.”

  I laughed and let myself in, shutting the door behind me. “At home, that’s fine. But I don’t think many people will take me seriously if they know you call me munchkin.”

  “Screw them,” Dad said, with a dismissive wave of his hand that made me smile. He folded his hands on top of each other on the desk, and looked at me with the same concerned look he gave me as a child. “So, how was the meeting?”

  “Interesting.” I leaned back in my chair, remembering the vague conversations and dark stare. “I met with Beast.”

  “Can see why it was interesting. He doesn’t talk much.”

  “Tell me about it. It was like pulling teeth to get one word answers.”

  “Conversation doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is if you think he trusts you.”

  I shrugged. “He doesn’t have any other option. He will.”

  “That’s all I need to hear.” Dad leaned closer to his desk, catching my eyes and holding my gaze. “I know you don’t agree with what they do and who they are. By following in my footsteps, you go against everything you believe in. I just want to make sure you’ve really thought this through. I don’t want you to wake up one day and have a guilty conscience that eats away at you. I already saw what that did to one man, and I refuse to let that happen to my daughter.”

  I assumed the man he was referring to was the Outlaw who hung himself a few months back. Dad gave me the background, and his voice got husky with each new piece of information. It was obvious that the man wasn’t just an Outlaw; he was someone Dad liked, possibly even cared about.

  Thirty years in this role, Dad went beyond a business deal. It became personal to him, fogged his judgment, and made him do some questionable things that he wouldn’t otherwise have done. It was a business deal for me, and nothing more. The last thing I needed was to get attached to a bunch of criminals that deserved to be behind bars.

  “You give me no credit, Dad,” I said with a smirk. “I’m much tougher than that.” I leaned forward, rested my arms on the desk, and met his gaze head on this time. “I told you when you called me about this position that my views on things changed. Sometimes, you have to work with the enemy to keep the people safe and I get that now. What you created with the Outlaws protects this town and my home. I will do everything I can in order to ensure that continues. I won’t fail.” Not this time. The words might not have made it out of my mind, but Dad heard them. I could tell by the concern and sympathy etching at the corner of his eyes, causing the deep lines to appear more defined.

  “You know what happened in Detroit wasn’t your fault.”

  I untied my bun and smoothed my hair back into place, then wrapped the hair tie around it. “I know.”

  Dad walked around the desk, and rested his hip against the dark oak. “Do you, though?”

  “Yes,” I said, trying to sound as convincing as possible. I didn’t come here for a lecture and I wasn’t about to sit here and get one. No matter what he said, it wasn’t going to change anything. My partner died because I wasn’t quick enough. Because I took my eyes off of the scene for a split second. If I didn’t…

  A knock on the door saved me, and I wanted to kiss the person on the other side for sparing me from unwanted advice. Dad stared at me for a few more beats before letting out a loud sigh. “Come in.”

  A young guy in a uniform walked in and smiled. He looked like he belonged in an ad for a cop Halloween costume, like he shouldn’t actually be wearing one. There was nothing intimidating about him. He was a pretty boy, but not in the same sense as Beast. No, this cop was a total newbie. I could tell by the gleam in his eyes, the determination in his stance, and the gung ho smile that all newbies start with. I was sure the harshest thing he’d ever seen was a domestic violence dispute where no fists or weapons were involved.

  “Oh, good. Reed, I like you to meet my daughter, Ryan. Ryan, this is Reed. You two will be partners until I retire.”

  I cocked an eye at Dad since he clearly forgot to divulge that little tidbit of information before this moment.

  “I don’t do partners,” I said through clenched teeth, aiming my anger at Dad. He knew this. He was more than aware of everything that happened in Detroit. It was the main reason I came home and, now, I felt like I’d been duped.

  Dad shrugged. “It’s just for now.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Reed said, reaching his hand out.

  I stared at it for a moment, debating walking out and starting over somewhere else. Then, I looked at Dad and I caved. I took hold of Reed’s hand a little harder than normal, making sure to show him I wasn’t just some girl. And
I sure as hell wasn’t getting a free ride just because I was Stanson’s daughter, which I’m sure many people around here thought. I didn’t need a partner, and I sure as hell didn’t need to be babysitting a newbie either.

  “You, too.” I pulled my hand away, and I smiled when he shook his hand a little. “You from here?”

  “Born and raised.” He had to be several years younger than me because I had no idea who he was. “My uncle owns the pharmacy on Main.”

  “Willie,” I said, having no idea where I pulled that name from.

  “Right.”

  Dad slapped a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Ryan did six years with the Detroit Police Department. She also worked undercover for a year in the Drug Task Force.”

  “Impressive,” Reed said, but his smile couldn’t hide the arrogance beneath.

  “And, how long have you been with the force?”

  “Uh…” he muttered and scratched his head. “Almost a year.”

  “That’s cute,” I said, unable to help myself, and Dad snorted. He rubbed a hand quickly over his face to cover up. “I look forward to working with you,” I lied, but if he was going to be my partner then I needed to at least find a way to get along with him. Trust him. Which was hard, since trust was no longer my strong suit. “You must have come in here for a reason, so I’m going to head out. Goodnight, gentleman.”

  “Mom wants to know if you’ll be over Sunday for dinner.”

  I really had to talk to Dad about bringing up personal business in front of other people. “I’ll be there,” I said, before heading over to the tiny desk in the corner that was now mine. It had a layer of dust on it, and needed more than a good wipe down, but right now I didn’t care about dust. I cared about getting more information on the Outlaws, especially Beast.

  I booted up the ancient computer and, after what felt like a million years, it finally brought me to the main screen. I went into the database system, only to realize I hadn’t been setup for access yet. Shit.

  I strum my fingers on the desk, thinking through my next steps. If I asked Dad to get me set up, he would ask why. I didn’t want him to think I was going behind his back and getting more information on the Outlaws than he gave me. I didn’t want him to think I didn’t trust him because, of all the people in the world, he was one of the rare few that I did. But I knew him. He was the type of guy who told you on a need to know basis, which meant there were still stones unturned that I needed to upheave.

  With a glance over my shoulder, I spotted the filing cabinets. I knew first names and nicknames, but I’m sure their filing system went by last name. Dammit. It looked as if I wasn’t going to get what I needed. Just for shits and giggles, I went to the files and looked under R for Righteous Outlaws only to come up empty-handed.

  Reed walked out of Dad’s office, and I eased the drawer closed before making my way back to my desk. I went under the desk to grab my bag, trying not to let the defeat weigh heavy on my shoulders, when the smack of papers hit my desk. I flung up, hitting my head on the hard metal of the desk drawer.

  I rubbed at the sore spot, then looked up to see Dad hovering over my desk. “Sorry to startle you.” He pointed down to a manila folder, busting at the seams. “I’m assuming this is what you’re looking for.”

  I glanced at the tab and, in Dad’s chicken scratch handwriting, it had the initials. R.O.M.C. Righteous Outlaws Motorcycle Club. Yup, that’s exactly what I was looking for. “Why would you assume that?”

  Dad smirked. “Because you are my daughter.”

  I smirked back, knowing how true that statement was. We were two peas in a pod, and it was why we got along so well.

  “It’s everything I didn’t tell you, and everything we know about the club: arrests, prior warrants, mug shots, photos from crime scenes they may or may not have been involved in, background checks on all the members, everything. Thirty years’ worth of information.”

  I took the folder and stood. “Thanks.”

  “Bring it back tomorrow,” he said with a wink, and headed back to his office.

  I slipped the massive folder into my duffel bag that I brought with me in case I felt like hitting the gym on the way home, but now knew wasn’t going to happen. I had a date with a folder.

  It was time to educate myself on the Righteous Outlaws Motorcycle Club of Black Hills.

  3

  Beast

  It was a beautiful day. That is, if you could get past the hundred degree temps. Not a damn cloud in the sky as our Humvee drove through the checkpoint and toward the camp. We had been out since the ass crack of morning and were all hungry. We weren’t tired, though. In less than twenty-four hours, our final tour in Iraq would be over and we would be sent home to our families and our girls. I dreamed about her every goddamned night, imagining the day when I’d feel her warm body beneath me again, hear the faint cries in her throat while I took her over the edge. Smell and taste her sweet scent that was burned so deeply into my mind. I craved it. Every. Single. Day.

  In less than forty-eight hours, she would be in my arms again and the world would be right. I glanced over to Dolan, the youngest of the crew at twenty, who held his gun across his lap, a shit eating grin spreading across his face.

  “What the fuck are you so happy about?” I asked, nodding in his direction.

  Martinez, Scott, Riggs and Adams turned to him.

  “Yeah, what’s the smile for?” Martinez asked, nudging him with his shoulder since he was beside him.

  “I’m just thinking of pussy,” Dolan said, and we all gave an agreed nod. “Twenty-four hours and we’re out of this sandbox. Then, in forty-eight hours, I’ll be humping for days.”

  “Yeah, your mother,” I said, and we all laughed except Dolan.

  “Fuck you, Harris.”

  I laughed. “You’re not my type.”

  “I’m going to kick your ass, Harris.”

  That threat caused everybody to laugh. I had at least eight inches on Dolan and about a hundred pounds. He was a small guy, and I was far from that. But it was all in good fun. These men were my brothers. I fought with them and, if it came down to it, I would die for them.

  “The only ass you’ll be kicking is…”

  The world flipped upside down. The sound of shattering glass and metal being ripped to shreds assaulted my ears. Debris pelted me from every direction. Heat rushed across my body, and hot searing pain exploded in my legs.

  My nose and eyes burned with smoke. I grabbed my chest and patted the rest of my body, making sure I was all there, thanking my lucky fucking stars when all was accounted for. My pant leg hung in a tattered mess, pieces of shrapnel imbedded in my skin. I ignored the pain, averting my eyes to search my surroundings.

  Dolan lay a few feet away in a heap. Blood covered his face, and his leg was on the other side of the wreckage. I crawled to him, taking his face in my hands. “I’m going to die,” he said, his body convulsing beneath me.

  “Not today you’re not,” I said, ripping my belt off and making a tourniquet just above where his leg was severed. I dragged him as far as I could away from the smoke, and went back in search of my other brothers.

  Martinez was to my left and Riggs to my right; both reeling in pain, clutching their arms. Scott and Adams were straight ahead and unmoving. I went to Martinez first, grabbing him by the arm he still had left, and dragged him to where I left Dolan before going back for Riggs.

  Riggs had all his limbs, but he was going into shock.

  “I need you, buddy. I need you,” I said, taking his face in my hands and forcing him to focus. I rested my forehead against his, gripping the back of his neck. “Look at me! Dammit, look at me!” His blue eyes darted up, and I could see the fear consuming him. “I have to go get Scott and Adams. I need you to watch over Dolan and Martinez. Can you do that for me?”

  He stuttered, but couldn’t manage words.

  “Riggs, our brothers need you. Semper Fi.”

  The words penetrated through hi
s fear, and he nodded. I released him, and made my way through the carnage to my other two brothers.

  I fought the deadly heat of the wreckage, making my way to Scott first, searching for a pulse and praying to whoever would listen to let them both be okay. “Don’t you be dead, you bastard.” I took a deep breath and pressed my fingers to his jugular, seeking any type of flutter. It was faint, but it was fucking there. He was covered in blood, and took the blunt of the impact to his right side. I grabbed his left side, and brought him to the others.

  Riggs finally snapped out of it, and was calling into base. I dropped Scott next to him, and went back for Adams. My legs throbbed with pain, wanting to give out, but I urged myself forward, refusing to leave one of us behind.

  But, before I got there, the sand blended into red carpet. The sun exploded, blinding bright rays shooting out all around me. I closed my eyes and shielded them with my arm and, when I reopened them, I stood in a darkened movie theater. The previews had just started, and everyone was glued to the screen, shoveling popcorn into their mouths. I scanned the crowd, and my eyes found her instantly.

  Long brown hair hanging in waves on her shoulders, she spun in her seat, looking for me because she hated when I missed the previews. She liked to give her opinion on each one, and whether it was something we’d be seeing in the future. Her blue eyes spotted me, and she tossed her long arm in the air, bracelets jangling with her wave.

  Panic rose inside of me. We needed to leave. We couldn’t stay here. It wasn’t safe. But, no matter how hard I tried to make my body understand we had to grab her and go it wouldn’t listen. I sat down, handing her the box of SnoCaps she always wanted, and she kissed me her thanks.

  I told myself to savor the kiss, to hold on just a little longer, but she pulled away and I rested back in my chair. The movie started, but I wasn’t watching the screen. The movie I was watching was her and me. I was out of my body, in the aisle, on the sidelines, watching, but I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t stop it.