Blayd: A Bad Boy Biker Romance (The Reckless Riders MC Book 1) Read online

  “Yes, officers?” I asked.

  “We have reason to believe that you’re in the possession of narcotics, and we’d like to come in to have a look at your place,” he said, and he sounded rather exhausted, as though he’d been firing off that line all day.

  “Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said firmly, genuinely curious to how they ended up on my doorstep, or even managed to find me when I’d just moved into town.

  “We received an anonymous tip, stating that bikers in this area are pushing drugs, at least those that belong to the two major biker gangs, which you happen to be a part of.”

  I truly wondered how he managed to have all that information when I hadn’t even earned my patch yet. “I don’t know who would’ve called that tip in, but I’m afraid I can’t help you. I have no dealings in any drugs. Besides, I just joined in with the Reckless Riders and somehow, you already know that. Would you mind telling me how?” I asked, but I already knew that answer. They were keeping a close eye on whoever came into contact with other Reckless Riders members as well as any other MCs that had taken up residence around here.

  “Are you going to let us in, or not?” one of them asked.

  Nah, I wasn’t stupid enough to let them go searching around my place when they had absolutely no right to do so. “You need a search warrant for that. Have a good day, officers.”

  They both scoffed at me, as though they were both aware of something I wasn’t.

  I wondered what Scotch thought about all of this. I had to go find him, because I wasn’t about to let myself get thrown under the bus for something I had no part in, at least not yet. I hadn’t so much as earned my patch yet, and the police were already knocking on my door. That alone told me something wasn’t right here.

  I had to meet with him this morning to discuss my upcoming assignment and what I would be doing alongside the rest of the prospects, but we certainly had more pressing matters at hand.

  After some coffee and a change of clothes, I got onto the back of my bike then rode to the location Scotch told me to meet him at.

  He didn’t look happy. He looked absolutely exhausted, like each of the other members had been calling him about what had been happening.

  I realized now, it wasn’t just me that got paid a visit by a few pushy cops.

  “Anything you need to tell me, Blayd?”

  “Besides the fact that the minute I get involved with any of you, the police show up at my door, no, not at all,” I replied sarcastically.

  Scotch looked just as surprised as I was that they even knew who I was. “That’s not possible. They wouldn’t even have the slightest clue that you joined,” he said, brushing the stubble on his chin out of frustration.

  I shrugged. “Well, it happened, Scotch.”

  “This isn’t my doing, Blayd. If you don’t want to stick around and deal with this, that’s up to you, but you agreed to be a part of this club. You have to decide here and now. Are you in or are you out?” he asked.

  I could see a genuine concern in his eyes, and it made me believe he was telling the truth. I decided to take a chance on him, to give in to the fullest because if there was truly a problem here, the police already knew who I was. If I stayed here, I needed to be a part of the Reckless Riders and stick by them through this. I made my decision. I also knew there would be no going back. “I’m in,” I said.

  “Good. Now, we have business to deal with. We’ll talk about this later tonight,” he replied.

  I nodded, following him deeper into the woods.

  I didn’t know what Scotch had in store for me, but the question of what was happening to the Reckless Riders was burning in the back of my mind. I couldn’t understand the sudden shift in the police’s actions, as though the tip had either come from a reputable source, or they were all simply looking for a way to take down the bikers that had been conquering every inch of the city. I wanted to know what assuming that kind of power was going to feel like, but I knew that I would never experience it until I proved myself to Scotch, until he was sure I wasn’t going to mess things up for him and the rest of the Reckless Riders members.

  We walked deeper into the forest for what felt like hours until we were standing near a large cabin that was absolutely crawling with armed men.

  I glanced over at their bikes seeing their club emblem knowing it wasn’t one that I particularly recognized. Judging from the look on Scotch’s face, it was one of their enemies. It was obvious to me before he even managed to give me any instructions that I would have to infiltrate their little operation and take what I could without being caught. I wondered what they were hiding in there to have it so far out in the middle of the fucking woods. I thought that maybe I would now find the narcotics the police were trying to say that we were in the possession of. The truth was, it wasn’t my first time dealing, nor would it be my first time stealing product, but a bigger power was at play here. I didn’t know if I would be able to get in there and get out without being seen, and I wasn’t ready to defend myself against an array of armed, angry bikers.

  “What exactly am I supposed to be doing?” I asked.

  We had parked our bikes out of sight, making sure we weren’t seen, so the moment we got what we needed, we could trek back on foot. I wasn’t sure I was ready to deal with this, but I knew I had no choice if I wanted to become a true member of the Reckless Riders and eventually, earn my patch. I would also be able to tell whether the other Reckless Riders members were going to have my back through this, or not.

  “The guys will distract the ones at the front, so you can sneak around back,” Scotch explained. “You’re looking for just about any drugs you can get your hands on, because if we find something new we can duplicate, you will be duly compensated.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “If you don’t, I’ll at least get to see how good you are at standing your ground against one of the country’s most vicious clubs.”

  “Who are these people?” I asked.

  “They’re the Dawn Vultures, and they won’t hesitate to shoot you dead. They will stop at nothing when it comes to what they want or what they’re trying to protect. We’ve been rivals for a very long time, and this is a good way for you to get acquainted with the thought of them, because a lot of what you’re going to be doing from here on out, involves keeping them at bay.”

  I simply nodded while wondering just how far I would have to go to prove myself. The others would provide a distraction, but I would be the one inside. I would have to make sure I kept a straight face if I got caught. So now, I knew why Scotch decided to name me Blayd after all. “Alright, I’ll meet you back here when I get what we need.”

  Scotch nodded, reaching to his back to retrieve a gun, placing it safely between my fingers. “Point and shoot if you need to, Blayd. If you need backup, we’re here,” he said.

  I felt a sense of brotherhood the moment he handed me that gun, grateful he wasn’t sending me in there empty-handed because I could only imagine what the Dawn Vultures would do to me if they caught me snooping around one of their facilities. If they’re as ruthless as Scotch said, then it was probably best that I don’t find out.

  I watched as the other Reckless Riders members made their way to the front, taking rocks into their hands, tossing it in the direction of the building causing the armed bikers at the very front to begin their search. They started to disperse into the woods, calling out for those that were out there to show themselves.

  I sneaked around the back, hiding behind the thick trees to make sure I wasn’t seen. I got close to the entrance to the basement, using the handle of my gun to break the lock, heading inside hoping I wasn’t going to immediately run into more of them. To my surprise, the basement had been virtually empty, and that would give me enough time to search around because there were labeled crates just about everywhere. It was far bigger than I’d expected, making me think that if this was the kind of thing Scotch did to get his stock, then he had the v
ery same kind of secret warehouses to house them until they were ready to be sold.

  I had a feeling Scotch was far more careful than these men, because it was much easier than I thought to get inside of this place. I started to open up the crates, taking bags of product, stuffing them into the duffle bag that I had flung around my shoulder. I heard footsteps coming from upstairs, and I knew there was absolutely no place I could hide that would’ve kept me out of sight, so when I caught sight of the basement door at the top of the stairs open, I got ready to fight my way out. I held the gun close to my body, ready to point and shoot before they even realized I was down here.

  I didn’t know how many of them there were going to be, but I got out in front of them and met the eyes of one of the men at the front, while he began to call to the others. I took a clear shot into his torso. He staggered back, allowing me just enough time to get away. I had a good variety of the product they had on me, hoping it would be sufficient to Scotch.

  I headed out the same way I came, not even bothering to look back.

  Chaos erupted moments later, as I ran back to the spot where Scotch and the rest of the members waited for me.

  “Got it?” he asked.

  “I got it,” I said.

  We headed back to our bikes on foot, just starting our engines in time to get out of there.

  The adrenaline was coursing through me at a rapid pace and I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this kind of thrill. I felt powerful, riding out in formation with Scotch at the forefront, leading us straight to one of the warehouses he had neatly tucked away in the desert, where no one would find it.

  We got off our bikes and I tossed the duffle bag to Scotch.

  He caught it then went through it, smiling as though he was impressed at how much I’d managed to grab before they found out I was there. “I have to say, Blayd you’ve outdone yourself.”

  “Does that mean I’m in?”

  “Yes, it does. Now that I know that I can trust you, we have a lot to discuss, especially with everyone on edge from the police visits earlier today. Let’s meet down at the Lazy Pint and we’ll discuss it. I want to know how many other members had the same experience as we did. I need to find out just how big of a threat this really is.”

  I nodded.

  He took me inside, introduced me to those that were watching over his product, and it completely outdid what the Dawn Vultures had. Scotch was good at maintaining his reputation and his power, so much so that even his worst enemy didn’t seem to have enough to take him down. Though, I knew I couldn’t allow myself to get comfortable, because it was those men that proved to be the worst kind, the ones that were going to fight until they had nothing left. I wondered what their story was, what they were planning to do off of the books that even Scotch wouldn’t have been able to pick up on.

  I had a feeling that what we all experienced with the police had to have something to do with them, because it all just seemed to make sense. I thought about the last few days I’d been in the city, and all that I saw, but nothing seemed to be out of place, apart from the woman I was trying to track down the moment I stepped foot into the Hidden Apple. It still confused me how she managed to vanish into thin air. She had been searching for someone out there when the only people truly present inside were all Reckless Rider members.

  It could be nothing, but does she have something to do with this? I have to tell Scotch, because it’s best we try to get ahead of this before it's too late, before we’re scrambling to protect ourselves against the entire police department. I’m not even sure Scotch has the resources to defend himself against all of them, but I suppose I’ll find out soon. I’m a Reckless Rider now, and that has to count for something.

  6

  The Dawn’s Cruel

  It was nearing four o’clock in the morning and I couldn’t manage to stay asleep. My mind was racing with thoughts of what I’d learned, of who I should’ve been really going after, and I was finally starting to drift off to sleep, but I could’ve sworn I heard a sound coming from the front door of my apartment. It went out into an open hallway, overlooking the parking lot beneath it. I leapt out of bed, reaching into my side table drawer and pulling out my handgun, holding it close to my chest as I inched closer to the door.

  The single noise turned into rampant banging against my door. I mentally listed off all of the people it could’ve been, wondering who had finally found me. What do they want? I was afraid to get too close to the door for the fear that they were just going to break it down, so I stayed back to the corner of the room. I listened in the quiet of the morning, waiting to see what they were going to say, if they were truly here to kill me or not.

  I got close enough to hear a voice on the other side of the door and it was hard to make out, but it wasn’t one I’d heard before. The banging continued and I could’ve sworn I saw a shadow pass by the windows to the front. I knew they could break right in, knowing those windows weren’t going to withstand much, but I had to be cautious. I didn’t want them to know exactly where I was, even though they were trying to peer into the dark room from any corner where the curtains didn’t shield me from view.

  “Angelina, I know you’re in there,” a voice came from behind the door, loud enough for me to hear, but not so loud that it would alert any of my neighbors. “You’ve been poking around looking for answers, but I’m here to tell you it’s time you gave up your fucking search. One of my men spotted you dropping off a little envelope at the police station, and the very next morning they were trying to take us all down. If you get close to any of our operations, I will personally rip you limb from fucking limb and make sure that you suffer. We’ve done a good job of evading the police before you rolled into town. It’s time for you leave, otherwise my next visit is going to be the last time you’re caught alive.”

  I was shaking, it felt terrifying to be caught off guard like this. I waited for them to burst in, for the man behind the door firing off threats at me to finally show his face, but one thing I knew… it wasn’t Scotch. I’d heard his voice before, I watched the way he interacted with his men. This wasn’t his doing and that meant it had to be one of his rival gangs. I wondered for a moment how he’d managed to learn my name, how he knew exactly where I was staying when I’d done everything possible to stay out of sight, but now it was clear I needed to do a better job of watching my back.

  The banging eventually stopped, and the shadows disappeared from behind my curtains. I let out a breath of relief, knowing this could’ve ended badly for me. It was time I broadened my search. I knew I had absolutely no choice but to continue with my plan, to keep pushing forward, because the moment I let myself slip, the man who’d threatened to take my life would make good on his promise.

  I needed to fulfil my end of the deal, find out as much as possible from Scotch and the rest of the Reckless Riders because now, it wasn’t just about taking him out, it was about protecting myself. It was time I made my move, get close to someone in the Reckless Riders, so they could tell me more about who their enemies were. I needed that information to protect myself.

  I couldn’t sleep for the rest of the morning hours before the sun had risen high into the sky. I knew I’d be much better off starting my day, not sitting around in my apartment waiting for the opportune moment to get back on the road in the hopes I would run into a Reckless Riders member. I knew where their preferred spots were now. I’d learned quite a bit when I was hanging around outside of the Hidden Apple.

  I now felt prepared for just about anything, but I realized now that there was still so much I didn’t know about how these bikers conducted their business. I needed to track one of them, follow them for a day to see exactly what they did. I had the perfect place to start, remembering the house of the biker I’d seen when I’d followed the police there on my false tip.

  I took a hot shower, slipping into a pair of light wash jeans and a t-shirt, throwing a black leather jacket over my shoulders before I slipped into a pair of boot
s. It wasn’t long before I was back out on the road, catching myself glancing over my shoulder every few seconds to see if someone had been watching me. I didn’t want to feel unsafe, to feel that powerless when those bikers could’ve showed up to take me out at any moment. Stay alert and you’re going to be fine. This isn’t the first time that you’ve been followed, nor is it the first time you had to shoot through a crowd of people waiting to kill you for the information you have.

  I drove down to where I remembered the biker’s house being, keeping my distance to make sure I didn’t alert him to my presence. I had a gut-feeling that the threat I received had nothing to do with my search to get closer to the Reckless Riders, but that once someone started sniffing around one of the biker gangs in the area, it was quite possible that they would learn everything they needed to know about their rivals. I could imagine just how much of a threat it may have seemed to be, especially seeing as how quickly the police responded to a tip that didn’t have much merit. Though, I always wondered in the back of my mind if that tip resulted in any arrests, if it did check out after all.

  That would explain why the man that threatened me had been so adamant on getting me to drop everything, and that’s exactly why I have to keep going.

  I ducked down to make sure I was out of the way while watching the man get onto his bike, taking off onto the open road.

  I followed close enough behind not to lose him.

  It didn’t seem like he paid me any attention, because we were surrounded by a variety of other cars and some bikes that all seemed to be trying to get somewhere. I was already well versed in how many members of the Reckless Riders spent their nights, but I had no idea when they were pushing their product, taking care of their own, and staying relatively out of sight.