Acid (Black Hearts MC #7)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

ACID

6 months ago

“What can I get you?” the waitress asks.

“Just a coffee, thanks,” I answer.

“You sure you don’t want no pie or soup of the day? It’s tomato. I make it myself,” she beams.

I give her a look. “No, thanks. Just a coffee,” I state firmly. Her smile falls and she turns away, mumbling under her breath. “Sorry?” I ask, knowing full well she wasn’t talking to me. She was just cussing me out under her breath.

Her cheeks heat. “No, just relaying your order so I don’t forget.”

I smile. “You need to repeat my order of coffee?” I ask.

She nods. “I will just get you your coffee,” she says. She pauses to clear her throat, clearly embarrassed.

I smile and look out the window. Like fuck will I be drinking the coffee she brings me now. She has probably spat in it. Thank fuck I ain’t planning on staying in this town more than a night.

I notice a group of kids hanging around outside causing trouble. Nothing huge. Just kicking overt trash cans and being little dicks. I keep my eye on them as they get closer to my bike. They push the smaller kid forward, pointing at my bike as they do.

“Fucking little fuckers,” I growl and jump up from the table.

“What about your coffee?!” the waitress yells after me.

I stop at the doorway. “Respectfully darlin’, fuck the coffee,” I state before storming out of the diner.

I march across the road to where my bike is parked and where the little fuckers are still pushing the smaller kid forward. I cringe as he jumps on to my bike. Hell to the fucking no. You never get on another man’s fucking bike. “Hey!” I yell over the traffic. The smaller kid’s eyes go wide as he jumps down off my bike. The bigger kids laugh, not scared or intimidated that I’m approaching them with a pissed the fuck off look on my face.

“Oh, watch out. There’s a scary man coming,” one of the older ones says in a mocking voice. Little fucker has no idea who he is messing with. I glance around and they are all standing there thinking this is one big fucking joke.

“What in the fuck do you think you are doing with my fucking bike?” I growl. The young lad has the decency to look fucking worried, but the others just laugh. I sigh before I pull out my blade. Their laughter dies, and they finally look fucking scared. “Do me a favour. Can you thick fucks read?” They all nod. I point to my patch with the tip of my blade, watching as they read it.

One of the fuckers shrug. “So, what? You’re in a little gang. My dad’s got a bike, and him and his friends wear the same shit as you, pretending to be part of some biker gang, when they are just pathetic losers,” he mocks.

I smile. “I ain’t disputing your dad ain’t a fucking loser, kid. I mean, you came from his fucking balls and you’re a whiney little cunt. You probably still get fucking breast fed, too.” His mates laugh. I twiddle the blade in my hand. “Now, you little fucks ever come near my bike again, I will come for you when you are sleeping. I will cut you from your throat to your stomach. Do I make myself clear?” I seethe. The kids don’t even nod or answer, they just run off, all except the small one. He just stands there, staring at me. “What do you fucking want?” I snap. He shrugs and just stares at me. “You got parents? You’re a little young to be hanging around with those dickheads,” I point out.

“I got a mom, and a...” he states, pausing.

“A what?” I smirk. “A dog?” I joke.

“Her boyfriend,” he adds. “My stepdad.”

“Where?” I ask.

He points to a building just down the street. “They’re in there. I’m not allowed back yet.”

I frown. “Well, maybe you should be home, rather than hanging out with dicks like that. Your mom shouldn’t let you just fucking hang around the street. Come on. I will walk you back,” I state.

“You’re not a paedo, are you?” he asks.

I frown. “What the fuck dude. no. I ain’t a fucking paedo. Jesus. Come on.” I snap. “Fucking paedo.’ I tut under my breath.

I walk him down the road to some shitty looking apartments. The kid opens the door and I follow behind him, the smell of piss immediately invading my senses. We walk up to the 3 rd floor and as the kid goes to open the door, I place my hand on his shoulder and shake my head no. I knock loudly and wait for the door to open.

“Er, just a minute,” I hear a woman’s voice call out. She’s probably a junkie hiding her stash. She unlocks the door, and I glance up, noting that her brown hair is covering part of her face, and she’s also wearing sunglasses. She looks down to her son then to me. She sighs. “Oliver, come on in,” she says, holding the door open wider to let him in.

“Hold it, kid,” I state, placing my hand on his shoulder.

Her head snaps to me. “Excuse, me?” she snaps. “Do not tell my son what to do.”

I reach into my pocket, pull out a 20 and hand it to the kid. “Go to the diner down the street. Treat yourself to some ice cream while I talk to your mom.”

The kid smiles. “Feck yeah!” he yells.

“Oliver!” his mom chastises.

Stopping at the top of the stairs, he looks back at his mom. “You ain’t going to hurt her, are you?” he asks.

I smile and shake my head. “No, your mom is safe with me,” I promise.

He nods and runs off down the stairs. I turn my attention back to his mom stood in the doorway. Her arms are wrapped around her middle, like she’s protecting herself. I take a step forward, and she instantly moves back two spaces. I shut the door behind me.

“Where is he?” I ask.

“Who?” she asks. I smile and walk around the apartment. It’s clean and she obviously tries. I instantly spot the blood stained rags in the top of the trash can.

“I’m not here to hurt you or your kid. Where is the cunt that has done that to your face?” I press. She shakes her head, but as she tries to smile, it wavers. I walk towards her and reach for the sunglasses, causing her to flinch. “I ain’t going to hurt you,” I state softly. She removes her sunglasses, revealing a badly swollen black eye. I delicately move the hair away from her face, revealing more marks and bruises on her face. My blood boils. “Where is he?” I ask, repeating the question.

“I don’t want any trouble. Joe will hurt you and then blame me and, well, you know.” She sighs.

“He can’t hurt me, and I will make sure he will never hurt you again,” I promise her. She stares up at me, and I see hope and fear dancing in her eyes.

“Why would you involve yourself in this? You don’t know us,” she states.

“Because I ain’t a cunt. I would never walk away leaving a woman and her kid living with this,” I say, gesturing to her face. She looks away. “I ain’t saying you’re a bad mom. I’m just saying you’re in a situation and I’m going to help you out of it,” I add.

“He’s gone to the liquor store,” she mutters.

I nod. “Go pack a bag for you and the kid. You can stay at the motel,” I tell her.

She shakes her head. “I can’t afford that,” she sighs.

“I didn’t ask you to pay for it. Now pack your shit,” I demand.

She pauses for a moment before running off to the bedroom. I turn around and look out the window. Flashbacks of my childhood still fucking haunt me. If my brothers were here, they would be doing the same. If I ignored the kid and left them to it, he would end up either in prison or fucking dead. I’m snapped out of my thoughts as the sound of the lock on the front door loudly clicks. I look to my left and see her stood there, fear written all over her face.

“Go back in the fucking room and don’t come out until I say,” I order. She jumps but quickly returns to the bedroom.

The front door opens and in stumbles the piece of shit. His drunken gaze lands on me. “Who the fuck are you?” he yells.

I smile, watching as he walks towards me like I’m supposed to be afraid of some shit. “I am your worst fucking nightmare,” I answer.

He scoffs. “Let me guess. The slut has been blowing you, and you thought you could save the day. Recuse her from here?”

“Don’t call her that,” I growl.

“What? A slut? Just calling it like it is. She will change on you, too. She’ll go from being all sweet and giving you pussy whenever you want it, to a nagging bitch that will only put out when you force her to,” he sneers.

My fists are clenched tight at my side. “I’m giving you your last warning. Fuck off and don’t ever come back,” I seethe.

He laughs, holding his hands out to the side. “And what exactly are you going to do about it?” he challenges.

I step forward into his space and slam my head down onto his, causing him to stumble back. Moving forward, I swing my fist and slam it into his face. I don’t let up as I do the same with my left fist. He falls to the floor, and I swing my booted foot back and slam it into his side. He groans, clutching his ribs.

“Get up, you pathetic sack of shit!” I spit. He just groans as he rolls around the floor like a pathetic worm. “That’s what I fucking thought. You can’t fight a man. You can only hit fucking women. You can only bully and torment women, and from what you’ve just fucking confessed, you can’t seem to get a woman to fuck you so you fucking rape her instead? I should slit your fucking throat and leave you to fucking bleed out,” I growl as I pull out my blade.

“No! Please don’t!” she pleads as she enters the room.

I look at her panicked face. “You want to save this fucking cunt? After everything he’s done to you?” I ask in disbelief.

“He doesn’t deserve to die. No one deserves that,” she states softly.

I sigh. “Well, that darlin’, is where you and I will have to disagree.” I crouch down to the parasite on the floor and hold my blade to his face. “It appears you had a good woman,” I snarl. His face is covered in blood and his eyes are wide with fear. “If you ever go near her or her kid again, I will show you just how creative I can be with this blade. Do I make myself clear?” I ask, threatening him.

“Yes,” he whimpers. “I will go and never come back,” he adds.

“No, you get to stay in this shit hole. It’s what you deserve. They will leave,” I correct him.

“We,” she begins to protest, but I hold up my finger halting her.

“Now, fuck off and don’t come back until tonight,” I bark before I stand and put my blade away. He gingerly scrambles to his feet and hobbles out of the apartment without even looking back. I smile and turn around to face her. She angrily storms towards me, wiping away her tears. “You don’t ne—” My words are cut off as her hand slaps across my face.

“You have just put me and my son out on the street. We could have stayed, and he could have gone. As long as we had a roof over our heads, we were fine,” she snaps.

I rub my cheek and flex my jaw. “Good hit. Shame you didn’t give him some of that back,” I comment.

She sighs. “I’m sorry. Thank you for seeing him off, but we don’t have the money.” I hold out my hand and she looks down at it. “What are you doing?” she asks, confused.

“I will find you and your boy a better place to live. I will find you a job,” I state.

Her eyes flicker back to my hand, all while anxiously nibbling on her bottom lip. “What is the catch?” she asks. “I won’t sleep with you,” she snaps.

I laugh. “Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever been rejected so fucking quick in my life. No catch, apart from you staying the fuck away from low life pricks like him.”

She frowns before placing her hand in mine and giving it a shake. “Okay, but I still have no idea why you are doing this.”

I gently squeeze her hand. “Darlin’, I don’t expect you to. Now, er?” I pause, waiting for her to tell me her name.

“Rhea,” She answers.

I nod. “Now Rhea, let’s pack your shit up and get out of here.”