Our computer guru sits back, linking his hands behind his head. He studies the woman who’s entered alongside me for a few seconds before announcing, “Virginia Case-Roberts.”

  “Just Case now,” Virginia corrects him quickly. “I’m divorced.”

  Of that he’ll already be aware. Before she’ll have stepped foot on the compound, Mouse and Wizard will have known all about her history, down to the date and time of her birth and probably even the size of the shoes that she wears. Now I watch his dark eyes assessing her, filling in the gaps that the written word doesn’t hold.

  I see the flicker of male interest which makes me stiffen before I tell myself that it’s not surprising. Virginia’s a decent-looking woman, close to our age, and I remind myself that Mouse is devoted to his old lady.

  “What can I do for you?” he finally asks with a querying eyebrow raised toward me.

  “Virginia is an editor. She needs internet access so she can get on with her work.”

  “You got a laptop?” he asks.

  In answer, Virginia raises the bag that she’d carried in with her. When Mouse beckons, she takes her laptop out and hands it across.

  When he pushes it back with a quizzical head tilt, she blushes and enters her password. With it in his possession again, Mouse flicks his fingers over the keys. Within moments, he returns it.

  “That will give you secure access to the internet.”

  I know Mouse will have set it up without her being able to get onto our own VPN or anything prying eyes shouldn’t see.

  “Thank you.” Virginia offers a genuine smile.

  I simply raise my chin rather than using words and then lead her back out into the clubroom. Ignoring the curious glances from brothers who have recently arrived, I march her through and then out the door.

  Once outside I explain, “I’ll show you where you’ll be staying. I’ve a desk where you can work.”

  “Marvel.” Her tone makes me stop. Her eyes are narrowed and full of concern. “This is crazy. I can’t take over your suite.”

  “Stop blaming yourself for everything that happens around you,” I tell her, pissed off at the situation but not at her. “You didn’t ask to be hounded out of your house.”

  “But the result is I’m hounding you out of yours.”

  “It’s really not a problem,” I tell her, trying not to grit my teeth. I remind myself as well as her, “The problem lies with those assholes trying to fuck up your life.”

  Am I annoyed that Wizard has forced me to give up my space? Fuck yes. But I’m annoyed at the situation, not him or her. As I’ve been reminded, any brother bringing a woman back to the compound has to take responsibility for her. That’s the way it’s always been done. If it were another brother, I’d be riding his ass in the same way as Prez is riding mine.

  The question is, how long is this situation going to last? As far as I see it, though, there’s no quick answer. Maybe Virginia needs to move on, leave Tucson and start somewhere afresh. It would get her out of my hair, but wherever she is, she’ll only be safe until the next incident comes along where she’s recognised again and the whole shenanigans start over.

  It’s not fucking fair, but life never seems to be. Right now, I’ve got nothing with which to reassure her.

  “This is us,” I state, stopping outside the original two-suite bloc now converted into one. Stepping forward, I open the door.

  “It’s not locked?”

  I shrug. “Never bother here on the compound.” I indicate to my left. “Sitting room complete with desk.” Then I swing around to the one on the right. “Bedroom, and there’s an en suite.” Her suitcase, I notice, through the open door, has already been placed at the end of the bed. “I’ll send up a prospect to change the sheets.”

  Immediately her teeth start to worry her lip. “Don’t worry, I can do that.”

  “No,” I tell her, somewhat embarrassed about the possible state of my bedding. “You go and get yourself set up. You did say you needed to work.” My firm tone invites no argument. Neither does my body as I put myself behind her and shepherd her toward the other room.

  I wait until she’s got herself settled, then, in case there are some stains I don’t want her to see, instead of instructing a prospect, I myself, make quick work of stripping the bed and putting on fresh sheets. I glance around, and pick a pair of dirty underpants and various mismatched socks up off the floor. In the bathroom, I tidy my toiletries, chucking a couple of empty bottles into the trash, and make sure the toilet seat is down.

  By the time I’m happy my room doesn’t look too much like I’m a slob, I realise I better make tracks back to the clubhouse. Before I go, I poke my head around the door, seeing Virginia seated at my desk, her gaze focused on the screen in front of her, and jaw set in concentration.

  I clear my throat to get her attention. “I got a meeting to get to. If you need anything, there are sodas and snacks in the kitchenette.” I nod toward the door in case she hadn’t noticed it. “If you need anything else, just go down to the clubhouse. There’ll always be someone around.”

  “Thanks, Marvel.” She looks up with a quick smile but spares little time before resuming her work.

  I shouldn’t feel comfortable leaving someone in my space, even sweet butts are chucked out as soon as they’ve done what they came here to do. But to my surprise, her presence doesn’t appear to bother me overly much. I do return to the clubhouse, wondering how in twenty-four hours I’ve somehow acquired a woman I’m now responsible for.

  As I draw closer, other brothers are arriving and parking up. Roadkill scowls at me as he gets off his bike. “Fuckin’ damn near got knocked off my sled, trying to get through those motherfuckers at the gate. What the fuck’s going on, Marvel?”

  As I’ve never before personally brought trouble to the club, I shift guiltily, wondering how to answer. In the end, I settle for, “That’s what Wizard wants to discuss,” and jerk my head toward the clubhouse.

  When Blade appears, asking, “What the fuck’s this all about?” I hastily make myself scarce and disappear inside.

  I get no reprieve. The main topic of conversation seems to be the reporters camping by our door, with most people wondering just how long we’re going to have to put up with them for, and how the kids living on the compound are going to pass unmolested on their way to college or school.

  I shouldn’t feel guilty that it’s my fault they’re there. It’s not like Virginia condoned her husband’s crime, nor that either of us wanted to be caught up in the bank heist that was the reason she was identified and her whereabouts discovered this time.

  The people to blame are the ones currently blocking the gate and their thirst for a news story which will make them money no matter who gets hurt in the process.

  Keeping my head low, I head straight for the meeting room and take my seat, as around me brothers make their way to theirs. Wizard’s the last to enter. He picks up the gavel as he sits down, then bangs it once his ass is on the chair.

  “What the fuck’s going on?” Truck states. “I’ve just made my way back from Angels and barely got in through the gate.”

  “What are the fuckin’ press here for?” Heart asks. He gives a pointed look my way. “Don’t say they’re here to interview Marvel for the part he played in that business at the bank yesterday.”

  Hound snorts. “They’re not here to interview our resident hero. They’re here for his woman.”

  “Yeah,” Peg thunders. “The press are hounding her.”

  “Marvel’s got a woman?” Roadkill asks, his voice almost falsetto in his surprise. His eyes narrow as they land on me.

  “She’s not my fuckin’ woman,” I snarl, planting my fist on the table. Hell, you do one good deed and suddenly these assholes think you’ve committed to someone for life.

  It’s pandemonium as some people continue to ask what the fuck’s going on, or joke at my expense about me getting a ball and a chain, while I just raise my finger to whoever’s speaking again and again.

  Prez bangs the gavel, having to repeat it a few times. “Shut the fuck up.” He waits for the comments to simmer down. “Right, Marvel. Give us the short version of who Virginia is—apart from the broad who you picked up instead of the float at the bank yesterday.” The asshole actually grins at me, before continuing, “And summarise what’s going on for those who don’t already know.”

  I hate the feeling that all eyes are burning into me. It was never my desire to have a front-and-centre role, being much happier riding in the middle of the pack. Feeling awkward, I roll my shoulders, sit forward and proceed to give an abbreviated version of the last twenty-four hours.

  Several hadn’t caught the original story about Ralph Roberts on the news, so I also have to go through that again as well.

  There’s a stunned silence when I finish.

  “Motherfucker,” Joker remarks, his head moving side to side.

  “That true? He fucked dead bodies?” Roadkill’s eyes widen until they’re as round at the full moon.

  “Necrophilia is the official term for it,” Lady announces to anyone interested.

  “Sick is what it is,” Shooter responds with an exaggerated shudder.

  Jekyll’s looking puzzled. “But why are the hacks hounding your woman, Marv? You said he was arrested and locked up a year or so back. Surely the story is long dead and they’ve already got all the mileage they can?”

  It’s Drummer who replies on my behalf. “It’s because her fuckin’ ex is locked up and they can’t get any more dirt on him. It’s a salacious story, sensational enough to keep giving it airtime.”

  I raise my chin in thanks to him for putting it so succinctly. “Virginia didn’t know shit about what her husband was doing, but it suits people best to not believe her. He’s clearly such a monster that they can’t believe she didn’t know of his crimes, and that she wasn’t aiding and abetting him.” I say my piece, then add, “It’s also the same fuckin’ question that she keeps asking herself.”

  “Her name was on the deeds for the business premises,” Mouse states. “That’s probably just so they could get the initial loan, but it’s an official connection to her.”

  “Whatever the fuckers’ reason, what I want to know is how fuckin’ long they’re going to be blocking our gate,” Blade snarls. “We’re needing to keep two prospects down there full time to make sure they don’t break through, which means they can’t fuckin’ do anything else. Not to mention the inconvenience when we want to get in or out.”

  “Can’t get your own drink, old man?” Throttle chances death as he yanks Blade’s chain.

  Blade slams his knife into the already scarred table, leaving it quivering for a while.

  “Aren’t they trespassing?” Cast asks, obviously trying to get back onto safer ground.

  Prez shrugs. “Not unless they make it onto the compound. Not our land outside the gate.”

  “I’ve got girls who need to get to school,” Wraith observes with his lips narrowed. “Don’t want Hilda being asked for comments each time she goes in and out.”

  “Fuck no,” Hawk exclaims in horror when his young teenage sister-in-law is mentioned. “She’ll be preening herself, trying to get her picture taken. They’ve got cameras and television crews.” He throws a look at the ex-VP. “While the kids might be a problem, I don’t much like the idea of them getting any of us on camera.”

  “Good point. We don’t want to become the news story.” Prez raises his chin at his VP. “So, we’re all agreed they’ve got to go, but how? That’s the answer I want. We can’t do anything legally.”

  “Shoot the fuckers,” Peg growls.

  He gets a lot of support for his suggestion, but unfortunately also a lot of shaking of the saner heads. Unfortunately, there would be no way of taking them out and keeping it quiet. Even if we did bury all the bodies up at the top of the compound—which would mean considerably extending Road’s track.

  “Why not just get rid of the bitch?” Shooter glances around. “She’s not our problem.” When I open my mouth, he continues, “If she means so much to Marvel, he could go with her.”

  “She means shit to me,” I admit. Though for some reason, those words cause a bad taste in my mouth, and I have the overwhelming feeling I should take them back. I don’t, though my mouth twists.

  Prez stares at me and raises his eyebrows. “Says the man who was prepared to spend eternity with her.”

  “What the fuck?” Hawk snorts. He presumably hadn’t heard.

  Wizard grins. “Yeah, I had to promise Marvel we’d bury their bodies together if they’d been killed yesterday, so he could prevent her from being molested in the afterlife.”

  “Hey, that’s fuckin’ sweet.” Lady gives me an approving nod and shares a look with Joker. Wouldn’t surprise me if the silent communication between the two meant they were planning to be buried in the same grave.

  “I had to say something to fuckin’ calm her down.” My eyes harden as I try to shut this shit down. “She’s got a goddamn fear of undertakers which shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

  “SD Funeral Services?” Drummer snorts. “Thinking of starting up a new business, Prez?”

  “I’ve heard of ‘til death do us part’, but swearing to be together for eternity must mean it’s fuckin’ true love.” Throttle’s shaking with laughter.

  “He’s trying to one up us,” Blade states, his arthritic hands still managing to pull the knife out of the wood then spins it so it accurately stops, pointing in my direction.

  Rock, the bastard, is doubled up as he chortles, and beside him Heart is chuckling.

  “Christ, don’t let the ol’ ladies hear anything about this.” Bullet’s eyes are wide. “I’ve given Carmen nearly four decades, thought I might have a bit of freedom after I die.”

  “Wouldn’t worry about it.” Wraith winks at him. “If there’s a heaven, you won’t be getting in anyway.”

  Bullet uses the back of his hand to wipe imaginary sweat off his face in mock relief. “I hear they’ve got all the motorcycles in Hell so that’s where I’d prefer.”

  “And sweet butts,” Dollar informs him, to which Bullet gives him a thumbs-up and a beaming smile.

  As Heart glares across the table at him, Bullet shrugs. “Ain’t gonna cheat on Carmen while I’m breathing, Brother.”

  “I wouldn’t cheat on Marc after I’m dead,” Heart informs him.

  “But would that mean you’d have to have a threesome with Crystal?”

  Jekyll’s insensitive question stops the laughter and has people awkwardly staring down. And that, right there, is why I hope there’s not an afterlife. Who knows what kinds of complications it could throw up?

  Prez bangs the gavel and barks, “Come back to the land of the living, fuckers. This isn’t helping at all. We’ve got a problem and we need to solve it.” Once his voice has silenced the rest, he again casts his gaze my way. “Marvel, it’s up to you to decide. If you’re seriously into this bitch, then we’re all on your side. If not, we can look at the option of discretely removing her from the compound and sending her on her way. We’ll have gotten the reporters off her back, and it will be up to her how she keeps it that way.”

  Put on the spot, I shift awkwardly, my mind working at a rapid pace. Virginia should mean fuck all to me. Yesterday morning, I’d not even met her. Yesterday evening, I’d walked away without looking back, and quite content with the idea I’d never see her again. But something had gotten to me this morning when I saw the evidence of how her ex’s crimes had affected her. Something inside me wanted to protect her and find a permanent solution to her woes.

  I try to find a way to put my thoughts into words.

  “Virginia’s a nice lady, too good for the likes of me.” I scowl to stop any verbalisation of agreement. “And you know me, women aren’t for me.” As Lady opens his mouth, I slam down my hand. “Ain’t gay, just don’t want an old lady.”

  Peg laughs. “Not what you want, Brother. If one comes your way, they take you out like a fuckin’ bullet.”

  Drummer’s lips quirk as he obviously agrees, and Wraith splays his hands as if to ask what can you do? Rock’s looking sheepish, Truck too. The others with old ladies are nodding, and Joker mimes holding a gun and shooting it at his head. Then Lady mimes taking it from him and shooting himself too.

  I’ve got a damn bulletproof vest courtesy of Davina. “Not me,” I state firmly, staring them all down. “But as I said, she’s a nice lady. She’s been through shit no one should have to go through, and none of it was her fault. She couldn’t control her husband. She means fuck all to me except she’s a decent civilian woman who’s been caught up in something that’s beyond her to sort out. Her story got to me, that’s all, and I’d like to help her.” I raise my chin toward the prez. “Your suggestion’s sound, but it’s only good for now. Sooner or later, the vultures will catch up with her again.”

  Peg raps the table, getting my attention, and speaks in his deep voice. “I don’t know why the press think she’s such a good news story, but today they surrounded her house, and now they’re camped out at the gates of our compound. If she was a movie star or a politician, she’d have security to keep them away. But she’s just a normal citizen, and I doubt a very rich one. Even if she wasn’t anything to my brother, I’d want to help her in some way. I hate that those fuckin’ dirt diggers think they have rights to anyone’s life.”

  “Good fuckin’ points, Brother.” Drummer reaches over and slaps Peg on the back.

  “Words of wisdom,” Wraith agrees.

  Prez grimaces. “Fair enough. But what can we do about it? We keep her here, and we’re back to problem number one. Our access on and off the compound is compromised, and I, for one, don’t fuckin’ like it.”

  “I might have a suggestion.” All eyes go to Mouse, who, as normal, has been concentrating on his laptop. When Wizard waves his hand in his direction, Mouse continues, “I’ve been looking over the past interviews she’s done, and as it turns out, she hasn’t really done any, or none where she’s said anything of substance. All the newspapers have is a general, ‘no comment’, or a dismissive, ‘no, I had no idea what was going on.’ She’s never given her side of the story. That might be why they keep hounding her as she’s kept her feelings quiet.”

 

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