What to Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection (WTRAFSOG Book 6) Read online

  “Fine,” the man said.

  “You’re leaving tonight alive so you can deliver that message. If I find out you don’t deliver that message, I’m going to find you.” Gaige reached to his side and pulled out a long knife. “Then I’m going to cut out your fucking tongue.”

  “Okay, man, okay,” the man said.

  “Get the fuck out of here,” Gaige said.

  The man scrambled to his feet and limped away, holding his face.

  Gaige looked down to the bodies on the ground and shook his head.

  “Fucking scum,” Gaige said.

  He crouched down and put his gun into the hand of the man he shot. When he nodded to Nate, Nate did the same. There would be no fingerprints from the Back Down Devil MC since Gaige and Nate were both wearing leather gloves.

  Gaige stood and turned. He put a hand out and Nate took it.

  “Nice kill, bro,” Gaige said.

  “You too, man.”

  Gaige went to the fence and grabbed the two cigarettes. He handed one to Nate and kept one for himself. They were still lit. Gaige took a deep drag and ran his fingers through his hair.

  The night was still young and Gaige’s heart was pumping.

  He was in the mood to fight.

  Chapter Two

  Rachel opened the door to the apartment balancing two coffee containers and her car keys dangling from her mouth. Emily rushed to aid her friend, taking the top coffee. She opened it and sipped it, the hot liquid burning her tongue. Emily didn’t care, she needed the caffeine. She hadn’t told Rachel yet, but she hadn’t slept much in the past week or so. Not after finding out the news about her ex-boyfriend. But time would pass and so would the feelings that kept Emily awake at night. She had already started looking into another apartment, and if need be, it would be time for a name change.

  “What’s wrong?” Rachel asked. “You look wiped out.”

  “Long days.”

  “Too much school, girl. You’re going to fry your brain.”

  Emily smiled and walked away. Rachel thought Emily was in school to become a psychologist when in reality Emily worked as a middle woman at an escort service. She paired up women and men for enjoyable evenings. The hours were bad, the clientele were rich assholes, but the kickback from it was a lot of cash. More money than Emily would ever make at a regular job. The company continually offered Emily a position deeper in the company, meaning she would go out on dates, but Emily always refused. The money would have been much better though. If she did that for a year or two, Emily would have enough to live for a long time. She could float along the coast, live on the beach, and waste away into nothing.

  Such dreams for a woman.

  “We need to get out of here tonight,” Rachel said.

  “What?” Emily asked.

  “I’m serious. No more girls night stuff. It’s old, Em.”

  “Old? We get drunk and watch movies.”

  “I did that in high school.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Emily said.

  Rachel sat at the dining room table and sipped her coffee. “There’s something I haven’t told you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ve kind of been talking and flirting with this guy…”

  “Whore,” Emily said.

  “Shut up. Listen to me.”

  “What happened to waiting for Bobby?”

  “He’s in New York. There’s no way he’s saving himself for me. We aren’t dating. We aren’t anything now. He literally sends me a message online once a week. And most of the time it’s something stupid. Either a quick HEY! or something he saw that made him think of me. You can tell it’s forced.”

  “So you’re out shopping,” Emily said. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

  “Trust me, it’s really nothing right now,” Rachel said. “But he like really wants me.”

  “Wants you?”

  “Yeah. He’s kind of honest about that stuff.”

  “What? Sex?”

  Rachel smiled and nodded. “He met me and told me he wanted to take me for a ride on his motorcycle and then bend me over the bike and fuck me.”

  Emily raised an eyebrow. “He said that?”

  “That was tame. He told me he wanted…” Rachel bit her lip and blushed.

  “What did he say?”

  “He told me he wanted to come all over my sexy ass and then use his tongue to finish me off.”

  “That’s kind of wild. And maybe gross.”

  “It should be gross,” Rachel said. “But it turns me on. Seeing him in leather. The rings on his fingers. The motorcycle. His black hair and really mean eyes. I mean, this guy would probably smack me if he wanted to… yet I like it. I want him to do what he said.”

  “You want him to bend you over his motorcycle and let him fuck you?”

  “Yes,” Rachel said. “Yes. That’s what I want. And everything else. I want to do something wild.”

  “You get wild every weekend.”

  “But this is dangerous wild.”

  Emily stared into her coffee. Dangerous wild. Emily never experienced that… at least not lately. She had run from dangerous wild and now hid as best she could to keep it from coming back.

  “What do you think of fighting?” Rachel asked.

  “Fighting? Like… what?”

  “Like two guys fighting,” Rachel said. “You know…” Rachel made fists and puckered her lips.

  “Like boxing?”

  “No. No gloves. Real fighting.”

  “I don’t know. Two guys, what, get drunk and pick a fight?”

  “I’m talking about arranged fights. Illegal fights to bet on. Like secret underground shit.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  Rachel stood up. “I am. He invited me tonight. There’s a fight going on.”

  “The biker guy?”

  “His name is Blaine. And if the size of his hand is any hint at the size of his…”

  “Calm down,” Emily said. “You’re seriously talking about going to an illegal fight with a bunch of bikers?”

  Rachel’s eyes lit up. Emily knew that look. She once had that look in her eyes, too. That look resulted in the mess her life had become.

  “I really want to have some fun,” Rachel said. “Come on. We’ll go and check it out. Watch a fight or two and then sneak away with some bikers.”

  “You know these guys are really intense, right? They don’t just ride around on motorcycles. They always have… some kind of purpose.”

  “How would you know?”

  “I, uh, had to write a paper on gangs,” Emily said. “Like how to explain the mindset of someone who joins a gang. And there was information on bikers. Those motorcycle clubs deal with drugs, guns, prostitutes, even murder.”

  “God, it’s so fucking hot,” Rachel said.

  “Your father would kill you,” Emily said. “That would really hurt his image.”

  “I don’t care about that. I’m not going to get married, Em. I just want to do something crazy, so I’ll have a story for the rest of my life. Seeing an underground fight. Sleeping with a biker. I wonder where he sleeps, you know? How they party. What they do. I mean…”

  “He’s really a biker?” Emily asked.

  “Yeah. His jacket said Back Down Devil Motorcycle Club on it. I saw him a few times now on the main strip. He’d ride by and then circle around. The rest of the guys kept going. He would stop and say some really dirty things to me and then leave. Last time he took me by the hand and kissed it. I swear I started to come right then.”

  “You’re gross,” Emily said.

  “I’m begging you.”

  “Rachel… I thought we were…”

  “I’ll go alone then.”

  “No you won’t.”

  Emily winced. She just gave herself away. Now Rachel had her.

  “I will,” Rachel said with a smile. “I’ll go and then you’ll be here worrying about me.”

  “I hate you so much right now.”

/>   “It’ll be fun,” Rachel said. “Come on. Hot, sweaty men punching each other. Big, strong bikers drinking and cheering. Oh, I can smell the testosterone already. It could be like research for you, right? Seeing shit like that would have to help you with school.”

  “Yeah,” Emily said. “I’m sure it’ll help so much.”

  “Then you’ll come?”

  Emily moved her eyes away from Rachel.

  Going to an underground fight was stupid. It was dangerous and it was illegal. Nothing good would ever come of it.

  Emily looked at Rachel.

  “Yeah, I’ll go,” Emily whispered.

  Rachel jumped her with a hug and kissed her cheek. “It’s going to be wild.”

  Chapter Three

  Gaige tossed his cigarette away and clapped his hands together. He sat on a picnic table next to Nate and watched the two guys in the middle of the circle. It was a small, raised platform surrounded by cinder blocks. The cinder blocks couldn’t be used as weapons, meaning they couldn’t be thrown around, but if you were able to get your opponent near one and could slam his head off it… so be it.

  The smell of smoke, blood, and booze filled the air. It was intoxicating to Gaige. It was a decent crowd tonight with at least three different crews there placing bets and sending their men into the circle. Fighting wasn’t the easiest way to make money unless you were really good at it.

  The guys in Back Down Devil MC were really good at fighting.

  “These two assholes are pussies,” Nate said. He drank from a bottle of beer.

  “They look afraid of each other,” Gaige said.

  “Come on,” Nate yelled. “Take a fucking swing.”

  One of the men swung. The other backed away. But he didn’t take a shot.

  “What the fuck was that?” Nate asked. He stood up and let out a bellowing BOO! which attracted plenty of boos from the crowd.

  “Hey, fuck you!” one of the fighters yelled.

  Nate sat down and laughed.

  “I hope they don’t let this drag out,” Gaige said. “Call a draw and move on.”

  “If this keeps up I’m going in there and knocking both of them out.”

  “I’ll put a thousand on that,” Gaige said.

  The slow fight continued. One of the men landed a punch to the gut. Then a punch to the face that sounded more like a bitch slip than a solid fist.

  “Hey brothers.”

  Gaige jumped down from the table and hugged Blaine.

  “How did your meeting go?” Blaine asked.

  “All done. Two dead and the third was sent away with enough injuries to scare the rest.”

  Blaine slapped Gaige in the face. “Such a tough guy. I remember when you were just a punk kid roaming the streets.”

  “That was probably right around the time you took your last shower,” Gaige quipped.

  Blaine sniffed his jacket and shrugged. “That’s years of pussy, brother. I can’t wash that away.” He winked and took a sip of his beer.

  “Oh, come on!” Nate yelled. “Hit someone. Fuck.”

  “What’s up with Nate?” Blaine asked.

  “He’s fired up,” Gaige said. “I think he wants in.”

  “I’ll put money on it,” Blaine said.

  “I told him I’d put a grand on him fighting the two fucks in there now.”

  “Thousand?” Blaine asked. “I’m in.”

  Blaine turned and whistled. A short man with a notebook hustled to him. He collected money, gave the odds, and took care of the payouts. With him were two big men with sawed off shotguns, just to make sure nobody got out of line.

  “We have some action for you,” Blaine said.

  Gaige punched Nate in the leg. “Blaine’s betting on you.”

  “About fucking time,” Nate said. He stood up and whistled. It was like a freight train, calling attention to everyone, including the fight in the circle. “You two are fucking pussies!”

  “Fuck you,” the men yelled.

  “How ’bout you two fight a real man?” Nate offered. “Two on one. Just like my buddy and I tag teamed your fucking mother last night.”

  One of the men jumped up on the cinder blocks and threw the middle finger. “Come on. Come on, asshole. Get in here.”

  Nate slowly took his rings off while staring down the two men in the circle.

  “Bro, you getting in?” Gaige asked.

  Nate handed Gaige his rings. He cracked his knuckles and smiled. “I’m going to fucking kill these two.”

  Gaige whistled as Nate jumped down to the ground. The crowd parted as Nate unclipped the chain off his jeans and rolled it up. He handed that to Gaige too. He removed his leather cut, leaving him in a black t-shirt.

  Nate walked to the circle as another man jumped into the middle. This guy was more or less the referee of the fights. He made sure the fights started fair and ended when they needed to. After all, this was a bunch of bikers, they could beat someone to death because it was fun to do.

  Once in the circle, Nate stood with his hands balled into fists. Gaige stood on the picnic table and Blaine joined him.

  “Think he can do this?” Blaine asked.

  “I hope so,” Gaige said. “He’s pissed because I let that third guy live. He’s hungry for a fight. Me too.”

  “Oh yeah? You jumping in next?” Blaine asked.

  “I’d like to. Still haven’t found someone to fight though.”

  “Eh, I’m sure you will. This place is crawling with fucking losers. Right?” Blaine swatted the back of the head of the person in front of him. The guy looked back and up at Blaine.

  “What the fuck?” the guy asked.

  “Fuck you,” Blaine said. He kicked the guy in the mouth. The guy stumbled and Blaine laughed.

  “Christ, man,” Gaige said. “Relax.”

  The referee gave some rules and then backed away. The rules were a formality and if they weren’t followed, it would be open season on the guy breaking the rules. There was a certain respect that came with fighting. Even if it was mostly about setting grudges or getting revenge.

  Nate was massive compared to the two guys. His shoulders were a mile wide. His face cut like stone. The other guys looked like scrawny wannabe bikers.

  “He’s going to fucking rock them,” Gaige said. He started to clap. His heart was racing for this.

  “Take your best shot,” Nate said. “Each of you.”

  “Yeah? That’s what you want?” one of the men taunted.

  Nate spit in the guy’s face and then laughed. The man came forward and socked Nate in the face. Nate took a step back and then spit a chunk of blood to the ground. He nodded.

  “That was weak. Pussy.” He looked at the other man. “Your turn.”

  “Come on, fight me,” the man said.

  “I’m tired from bending your mother over last night.”

  “My mother’s dead,” the man said.

  “Then it must have been your old lady. Man, did she stink…”

  The man screamed and ran at Nate. Nate threw a fist and connected with the guy’s face. His head snapped back and he collapsed to the ground. He was out cold. The entire crowd let out a cheer.

  “Holy fuck,” Blaine said.

  The other man took a step back.

  “Running?” Nate asked.

  Nate moved at him and threw a left fist. It hit the guy in the face, leaving him in shock. Nate then unleashed a hellish fury of fists. He started with the guy’s gut and pounded his way up. Fist after hard fist, Nate grunting each time. Finally, with the guy rocking back and forth Nate made a big fist and held it up.

  “Get him!” Blaine screamed.

  “He’ll kill him,” Gaige said. He almost felt bad for the guy. Almost.

  Nate swung one last fist, a wicked uppercut that took the guy off his feet for a couple seconds. The guy came down hard on one of the cinderblocks and as the crowd ooohhh’d and cheered, two guys rushed to the guy’s aid.

  Just like that, the fight was ov
er.

  Nate turned, spit more blood on the ground and then raised his fists. The crowed erupted in cheers as Nate walked back to the picnic table.

  “We just cleaned up nice,” Blaine said.

  “Yeah, we did,” Gaige said. He jumped from the table and hugged Nate. “Fucking sick, brother. They didn’t stand a chance.”

  “Nope,” Nate said. He licked his teeth and spit more blood.

  “Take my beer,” Blaine said. “You made some money for me. I think I’ll hit the strip tonight.”

  “Renting pussy?” Gaige asked.

  “Best kind,” Blaine said. “Unless my little friend shows up…”

  Gaige handed Nate back his chain and rings. There was already a small gathering of women lurking, all wanting to take part of licking the wounds of the winners of the fights.

  “I think you just secured your night, bro,” Gaige said and laughed.

  “Yeah. Now it’s your turn.”

  “Yeah,” Gaige said.

  He turned and saw a tall, thick biker standing like some kind of statue. He had a black leather cut with IDD written across the back of it, tattoos all over his arms, a wide stance, and his thumbs in his pockets. It pissed Gaige off.

  “Push me,” Gaige said to Nate.

  He smiled and Nate nodded. Nate tossed Gaige into the biker.

  “What the fuck, asshole,” the biker said as he caught his balance.

  “Fuck you,” Gaige said.

  The man made a fist and punched Gaige in the face, rings and all. The searing pain of the punch forced Gaige a few steps back.

  “Whoa,” Nate said.

  “It’s good,” Gaige said. “Really good.” He touched his bloody lip and smiled. “Want to do that again?” he asked the biker.

  The biker showed his fist and the smear of blood on one of his rings. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”

  “Perfect,” Gaige said. He turned and faced Nate. Now it was Gaige’s turn to take off his rings, his chain, his leather cut, and even his t-shirt.

  “Looks like you’ve got your fight now,” Nate said. “Could you have picked someone a little bigger?”

  Gaige smiled. “He better fucking kill me, bro. If not, I’m going to keep getting back up until he’s down.”

  Gaige didn’t need to be cocky or confident… he was that crazy and that tough.