Read Online Steel Me Away by Vivian Lux - Free Book Online Page B

managed to avoid noticing. In the past week we've had two major security breaches.  Your thing with that fucking racist piece of shit," Case spat on the ground and J nodded at the gesture, "and then we had the cops sniffing around here looking for your girl.  Things are hot, hotter than they've been in years.  And I don't like having a spotlight shone on me.  You know how I feel about it."
    J. nodded.  A child of the system, Case was acutely wary of the danger of letting people into your business.  To J. it meant prison time.  To Case, exposure meant getting ripped from your family and everyone you knew and loved and thrown into a turmoil that still haunted him to this day.  "Teach is working on it," J. reminded him.  "He'll get things with the Storm Riders worked out."
    Case's jaw worked.  He threw his cigarette to the pavement and ground it viciously under his heel. "When CPS took us the first time, I promised my brothers I would never let us be separated again," he suddenly said.  J. was startled to hear him talk about his dark, desperate childhood.  "And the only way I could make sure we stayed together was if we stayed with my mother.  So I had to lie to the social worker.  I swore she didn't hit us.  I swore that she was a good mom and had never locked us outside over night.  That she just worked long hours and that's way she was never home, not that she disappeared for weeks on end, leaving the three of us in an unheated house over the wintertime." He let out a ragged breath.  "I had to cause myself pain, actual physical pain, in order to serve the greater good."  His eyes gleamed, but the tears stayed unshed.  "I lost them anyway," he choked.  "I weakened and I told the truth to a girl.  And then social services came and took my brothers, because I was weak."  He lit another cigarette and touched it to his lips.  "When I joined this club, it wasn't just a fucking lark for me.  I swore to protect it, swore that I was a brother now."  His voice caught.  "Again.  That I was a brother, again."  He looked at J. "I have to serve the greater good, even if it causes me physical pain." 
    J. lit Case's cigarette with shaking fingers and inhaled deeply.  He wasn't a smoker, and that first breath made him cough.  The lightheaded buzz hit him quickly and he sat down heavily on the pavement outside the garage.  The sun was nearly set now.  It felt like a lifetime ago that he had woken in the country.  With Emmy in his arms. 
      The two men silently smoked, inhaling so quickly their cigarettes crackled. J. nearly jumped out of his skin when Teach appeared at his elbow. 
    "You sober?" his mentor asked, keeping his voice low.
    "Yeah Teach," J. straightened up and looked down at the smaller man.  The purple wound on his cheek shone shiny and wet looking and J. felt his stomach convulse at the sight.  He tried to wrench his gaze away and look Teach in the eyes, but when he finally found the strength, Teach had already looked away from him.
    "Club meeting. Five minutes." he barked to group, his dreads swinging across his chest as he shot significant looks at each of the Sons.  "Crash, get rid of 'em."
    Crash pulled himself away from Lupe with a wet smacking sound and cupped her ass firmly in his hand.  "Keep it warm for me, baby," he leered.
    "You're leaving?" she pouted prettily.
    "No sweet thing," Crash grinned.  "You are."
    Hannah looked up from picking her nails.  Her bored expression had changed to one of relief.  "Let's get out of here, Lupe," she sneered.  "I thought you said these guys were fun."
    "We could have some fun, " Crash smiled and grabbed his crotch.  "Three times the fun."
    Hannah looked momentarily interested, but Case took that moment to stub out his cigarette and assume his responsibilities.  "No women at club meetings, ladies," he barked as he rounded back into the garage.  "You gotta get the hell out."
    "I'll call you later," Crash winked.  "Both of you."
    Hannah