Page 19 of Blade

“You think you’ll rebuild?” Gator asked Rocko. I knew they weren’t talking about the clubhouse itself.

Rocko sighed. “We’ll discuss it amongst the few of us that are left, but if I’m honest with you, I’m tired. Been thinking about retiring anyway. Maybe this is a big fucking sign that it’s time.”

Losing this chapter was crucial, because a lot of the product we “imported” and “exported” went through them and their connections. It wouldn’t be good for business, and I wondered what the national chapter was gonna have to say about it.

Raptor gripped Rocko’s shoulder. “You just let us know what you decide and let me know if you need anything. I know that Cedar Creek would be down to help too. We’ll be stopping off at the Central Texas chapter on the way back. It will be a good break to stop and stretch our legs or spend the night if we’re too tired to keep going. I’ll talk to Ripper and see if they can help too.”

“I appreciate that, brother, but I think we’ll be good for now. We’re gonna figure out our shit and lay low. If you need to rest up before you go, you guys are welcome to stay at my house since the clubhouse is trashed.” Rocko looked so defeated, and it was hard to witness. From what I’d heard, he was a real badass in the day. Losing most of your brothers like this though… I couldn’t even imagine.

“I’ll let you know.” The two presidents shook hands and hugged each other. Then Rocko walked off toward Gecko, their security and tech guy.

“We need to talk,” Raptor said, his expression grim, and walked outside. We all followed. Well, I limped behind because fuck, my leg hurt. At least it was my right leg and not my shifting leg. As long as we kept going, I felt like I could work through the pain. I wanted to get home.

Once I caught up to everyone, Raptor dropped his head. When he looked up, I could see the agony in his eyes.

“What’s going on, boss?” I asked since no one else wanted to.

“You heard me say the Ankeny chapter was hit too.”

A chorus of hesitant yeah and yes followed.

“They got hit hard too.” He swallowed hard.

Phoenix, Ares, and I all froze. We all knew the brothers up there well. That was our home. Our original induction chapter for all of us but Ares. He still knew everyone though. He’d interacted with us many times when he was a member of the DSMC. The blood was rushing in my ears as I waited for the shoe to drop.

“Venom, Kicker, E and his ol’ lady, Voodoo, Hawk, and Sabre were all inside. So were Light and Randy from Flagstaff, and Kicks and Gypsy from Roanoke. They were there to help with the bullshit that had been going on there.” My heart dropped and I could barely hear the rest of his words. “The only one who made it out okay was Hawk. Angel was able to save Voodoo, but he was hurt bad, and it wiped Angel out. Sabre survived because, well, he’s Sabre.”

“No,” Phoenix whispered. The devastation in that single word echoed through us all.

I was speechless. My brain wasn’t processing. I couldn’t have heard that correctly. Unwilling to accept what Raptor had said as truth, I shook my head. “That can’t be.”

“Blade—” Raptor started, the pain heavy in his tone.

“No! That can’t be!” I yelled. He reached for me, but I jerked away. “They’renotdead! Angel would’ve saved them!”

A tear fell from the corner of Raptor’s right eye before he hastily wiped it away. “He tried….” He choked up and I started to back away, still shaking my head.

I made it to my bike that had been knocked over from the blast. I lifted it like it weighed fifteen pounds and climbed on. It took a few attempts, but it finally started. I needed to get away.

As I twisted the throttle, my ass end broke loose on the gravel and rocks flew, but I righted it and sped off. I hit the two-lanehighway that ran in front of the Brownsville clubhouse and sped off.

Though I hadn’t paid attention as I left, a few miles down the road, I realized I was heading toward home.

Toward Eliska.

With each passing mile, the edges of my sliced open and cut off jeans flapped against the dressing, but I ignored it. The wind tore at my hair and made my eyes water.

At least, that’s what I told myself.

“HateMeToo”—FromAshesToNew

Seventeen years old…

Sage’s mom either had the tiniest kernel of humanity, or Luis bided his time. Maybe both. Then again, it could have been a way to drive up the price too. Whatever the reason, Sage’s bitch ass mom sold her to Luis when she turned sixteen.

The night before her sixteenth birthday, she asked me to take her virginity. Fuck, it was awful.

“Tomorrow, my mom is giving me to Luis,” she mumbled as we sat there fat as ticks from scarfing down the entire cake I’d gotten her for her birthday.