Thor (Sinful Warriors MC #4)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

THOR

A sudden splash of ice-cold water wakes me from my drunken slumber. I shoot off the bed, pissed and muddled. Opening my eyes, I’m met with a furious gaze from Cara.

“Get up and get dressed. Madison is here.”

Hearing Madison name crumbles all my anger and replaces it with disgust. Not for her but for myself. I’ve been living my life, running through women while she’s been antagonized for years at the hands of a man who took a hand in raising me.

My father passed away when I was two to cancer, so Thomas stepped up and helped raise me. I never would believe in a million years he could be capable of something like this. A year after I took off, I gained the courage to call him and ask him why he would hurt me this way. The fucker made it seem like Madison had chosen him because she wanted someone who was going to make something of himself.

After I graduated from high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my future. I’ve never been into school so when he tried to get me to go to college, I declined. Then he tried pulling me into politics with him and I absolutely did not want that. After many failed attempts, he let it go, telling me I was going to be flipping burgers for the rest of my life.

Now, I have learned just how far his betrayal went and that Madison was completely innocent. I can’t stand to even look at myself in the mirror.

I scowl up at Cara before lying back down on my now soaking-wet bed. I don’t care. This bed feels much like I feel on the inside. Cold.

“Get out, Cara,” I warn.

I hear her shuffle to the door and I’m a bit surprised it was so easy to get rid of her. Five seconds later, I’m scolding myself for foolishly believing it could be so easy when she throws another fuckin’ pot of water on me.

“I said, Get. Up.”

I’m off the bed and in her face in a second. Cara doesn’t flinch. Why should she? I would never raise a hand to Cara, but she could kick my ass, no doubt. Not because I’m still a bit drunk, but because the woman is trained in every martial arts you could think of. The guys and I know exactly what this little woman is capable of.

“Cara, just let me be!”

“No, I won’t. I love you and I’m not watching you drink yourself into an early grave! Yes, I completely understand how you feel, but that woman out there needs you. Despite what she thought for the past ten years, she came here asking for your help. Don’t let her down by wallowing in your misery.”

My shoulders sag as tears burn my eyes. Cara quickly wraps me in her arms. “How was I so blind?” I croak out.

“Thor, anybody would have believed what you did. You didn’t have to guess what happened. You saw it. It just so happens it didn’t go down the way you thought. No one is blaming you. Thomas is responsible. As soon as you talk to Madison and clear the air, that motherfucker is going down.”

I chuckle and take a step back. She can go from comforting me to promising vengeance on my behalf in a second. Cara smiles up to me and pats my shoulder.

“Go get cleaned up. I’ll keep Madison company while she waits for you.” Giving her a skeptical look, Cara raises her hands in defense. “I promise not to do anything to scare her off.”

She turns away and walks out the door, and I get into the shower. The hot water is most certainly welcomed on my cold skin. I can’t believe she threw two pots of water on me. Then again, yes, I can. I know she was coming from a place of love and concern, so I can’t be too mad at her.

After I’ve showered, I trim down my beard and bring my hair back to life. The Ol’ Ladies are always trying to find out what I put in my hair, but it’s my little secret. After I’m satisfied with my appearance, I go into my closet to get dressed. Grabbing a gray t-shirt and a pair of jeans, I put them on, then throw my boots on and then my cut. As I step out of the closet, I turn back and eye the trunk that’s buried in the back. Quickly walking back inside, I open it and grab Madison’s helmet.

I kept all the things that reminded me of her. I couldn’t let her go completely. Over the years, I thought I would be able to trash it but every time I tried, I couldn’t do it. Locking up my room, I head for the common room with the pink helmet tucked under my arm.

Viper stops me as soon as I make it into the room. “Good to have you back, brother.” Clasping hands, he brings me in and slaps the back of my shoulder. Nodding, I search the room for Madison and spot her at the bar with Cara, Sara, and Bianca.

Blade and Bianca arrived late last night from their honeymoon, but I didn’t get to welcome them home. I was drowning in a bottle of Jack, trying to numb the pain. Sara taps Madison’s shoulder and whispers something to her. She turns and focuses on me.

Striding for her, I offer her my hand and help her off the bar stool. She gazes down at the helmet tucked under my arm and I watch her eyes gloss over. “You still have it?”

Shrugging my shoulders, my cheeks heat. “Can we go for a ride to talk?” Her face mirrors uncertainty and a bit of fear. “Maddy, it’s me. I would never hurt you. Ever. ” Sighing, she nods and lets me lead her outside to my bike. She’s dressed perfectly for a ride. She is wearing a long-sleeve purple shirt and a pair of jeans paired with ankle boots.

After I strap her helmet on, I put mine on and straddle my bike. Madison hops on without guidance and wraps her arms around my waist. It’s like we haven’t missed a beat. She used to love riding on my bike. From the time I was sixteen and I got my first motorcycle, I would take her on rides almost every day.

We take off out the gate and I drive to the little creek where I go when I need a little quiet time. There’s hardly anyone ever there so we should be able to talk without distractions. After thirty minutes, we arrive at the spot, and I park my bike. Maddy hops off and I quickly follow suit. I open the saddlebag and grab the blanket I always keep in here for when I come to the creek. I lead her to the grass and spread the blanket for us to sit. We sit in silence for a few minutes before I say the words that hold no weight for what she’s been through.

“I’m sorry, Maddy.”

Madison turns to me and I continue before she can say anything. “I didn’t know. I came to your apartment that night and all I saw was you two naked and asleep. I assumed the worst.”

“You thought I cheated on you?” she asks in horror.

I can only nod because speaking the words somehow adds to the hurt of how stupid I have been.

“How could you think that? I loved you. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I would never cheat on you.” Her voice is laced with so much hurt. I can’t even look her in the eyes.

Madison sighs and lays her hand on top of mine. “That’s not fair. I’m sorry. I would have believed the same if I walked into something like that. You couldn’t have known.”

“But I should have. I should have talked to you. Running was the dumbest thing I could have done.”

“Why didn’t you ever reach out to me?”

“I called Thomas a year after I left because I was still too hurt to face you. He told me he was sorry I got hurt but you two were in love and you wanted a man with a future. Not one who didn’t know what he was going to do with his life.”

“That lying bastard!” she snarls.

I turn to her in surprise at her outburst. Madison isn’t quiet by any means, but this is the second time I’ve seen her angry. It’s not something I’m used to. “So basically, he played us against each other,” she concludes. Nodding my head in agreement, we sit and let everything we’ve learned seep in.

Thomas will get his. Not only did he ruin my life, but he ruined Madison’s. All these years, I had no desire to seek vengeance against him. I cut my ties and never looked back, but for Madison, I will end his entire world.

“Maddy, I need you to tell me everything that’s happened over the years so the club and I can help you.”

Madison hesitates as her eyes fill with tears. I scoot closer to her and throw my arm over her shoulder, comforting her. Maddy sighs and lays her head on my shoulder. She tells me about getting her nursing degree, working in the emergency room, Thomas popping back up years later laying a claim on her, and then being on the run for the past three years as a traveling nurse.

All I see is red. He’s been tormenting her and now he dares to threaten her when she declines his advances. The fucker raped her, and he actually thinks she would want to be with him. He is off his rocker.

“I’ll set you free of him, Maddy. You have my word.”

“Thanks, Jonah.”

Helping her from the ground, I fold the blanket and we head back to my bike. After we get on, I ride back to the clubhouse where all of my brothers are still waiting. Pinning her with a fierce gaze, I tell her, “Maddy, I have to tell them what’s going on so they can help. I won't say anything you don’t want me to.”

“It’s okay. From what I’ve seen so far, none of them seem judgmental.”

I nod and call over Bianca. “Can you take her back to your house while we have Church?” Madison tries to protest, but I shake my head. “I would rather you stay here where it’s safe. We don’t know if he knows you’re here or not and the clubhouse is the safest place for you.”

Madison nods and follows Bianca out the door. Once they're gone, I turn to Viper. “We need to have Church.”

He turns to the brothers. “You heard the man. Let’s go.” We all head for Church and Cara quickly walks over to me. We walk side by side, not saying a word as we file into the room. If you know anything about MCs, then you know woman aren’t allowed into club business, but Cara and Sara earned their spot at this table time and time again.

We don’t care what other MCs think. We make our own rules. The girls’ skills on a computer is something like I have never seen before. They used to work in a department for the government called STF and the things they did in that time, working that job, made them two very dangerous individuals.

I have no doubt they will get every piece of information on Thomas. If he’s dirty enough to rape and stalk Madison, I know he has to have his hands in other things as well. When we take our seats, Viper brings the gavel down on the table. “The floor is yours, Thor.”

I take a deep breath and begin the story I’ve only told to one person sitting at this table. “Madison and I were together for five years. I was fourteen and she was thirteen when we started dating. The last night I saw her, I went to her apartment to propose. When I got there, I found her in bed with someone close to me, naked, and sleeping in his arms. At the time, I assumed she had cheated. I mean, I saw them. There wasn’t any other explanation. But now that Madison has found me, I found out I was wrong. He drugged and raped her.”

“The fuck!” Dice shouts, sitting forward.

All the guys look just as furious as him and I continue, “Over the past three years, she’s been on the run from him. After she got her nursing degree and started her job, he came and told her it was time for her to come back to him. She ran and she’s been running ever since. He’s found her several times and recently he found her after she had only been on a job for a week. She was hesitant to come here. The fucker made her believe I set the whole thing up and when her calls went unanswered, she had no choice but to believe him.”

Everyone sits in silence. Some of the guys are enraged while some stare at me with sorrowful eyes. Smoke clears his throat, and everyone turns to him. “Thor, who is this asshole and when are we killing him?”

I wince because this isn’t going to be that simple. This isn’t another club or street gang. If he goes missing, people will notice and I’m positive he has an entire security detail. I know my brothers will have my back, but this will take time and planning.

“Thomas Shaw. My uncle and Mayor of Arizona.”