CAGE’S FALL: The Vulture’s MC Read online

  Jacob had become my contact with the club. He would visit in no club colors. Tell me the lay down of what was happening. I never once asked about her. But I knew the ins and outs of the club.

  Climbing into the pick up, I gave the prison one last look before driving away. I knew deep down, I’d be back in there before I knew it.

  * * *

  Jacob had down played the welcoming Hawk had for me when we arrived. The club was thick with laughter, everyone wanting to catch up. It was fair to say, Hawk gave me a hero’s welcome. And I knew it was because I ended the man's life that took his wife’s.

  I wanted to crash in my dorm room.

  All night I waited to see her. You know get a look of what I nearly had. But she never showed up. Couldn’t ask Jacob where his sister was. So when the boys were calling it a night, I wandered up the hall to my room.

  Seeing the number nineteen directly across from mine. I couldn’t stop myself from hoping she still hadn’t invested in a lock. I twisted the handle, the door swung open, and the room was empty.

  Completely empty.

  Had she taken my advice and left the club behind?

  “She’s got one kid to a business CEO.”

  My head snapped to the side, seeing Jacob standing there.

  “What?” The horror in my own voice was so clear. My worst nightmare became reality. Jacob grinned.

  “Just kidding mate. She lives up the road in one of the clubs rentals. Single, well sort of. If you don’t count her and Lit.” Jacob leaned against the wall, still grinning at me. “You had it bad for her didn’t ya?”

  “Don’t know what ya talking about.” I closed her old bedroom door, and walked to my door.

  “You didn’t ask?”

  I looked at him. “Ask what?”

  “How she was?” he tilted his head. “After all you went to prison because of her. Sure you want to know how she is?”

  I could say I didn’t give a damn. But that was a lie. “How is she?”

  “Fucked up.” He replied way too coolly.

  “One day, about one year and seven months ago. She came storming into this club, saying she was cutting ties.” I knew that was roughly when she had came and visited me. “Her and Hawk had the biggest fucking fight, and end result, he hit her.”

  My temper went up. “Fucking did what?”

  Jacob put a hand up. “Autumn wanted him to, because he doubted whether he could be a parent and as a result, he let her move out. Been in a club rental ever since.”

  “Her relationship with Hawk?”

  “Nonexistent.” He took a step towards me, looking down at his feet. “Bout the same as my relationship with her. She is only in a club rental because she ain’t got the money to cut us off fully, but...” he looked up, “one day she will, and then we will be out of the picture completely.”

  “Perhaps you should do something about it, while you can.” I gave some advice, and then opened my door, closing it after myself. If Jacob thought I could get his sister back into the club, he was wrong. I was nothing but a murderer waiting for the day I get the injection.

  I ripped off my shirt, and headed for the shower. Ain’t shit I can do about Autumn. But I wondered, just for a second, if she even recalled who I was.

  Chapter Seveteen

  Autumn

  The banging on my front door was loud enough to be heard through the apartment block. I unlocked the three locks I had on the door, and then opened it.

  My eyes ran over Jacob. While nothing physically happened to Jacob, something else had— he had changed, or at least my relationship with him had.

  “Hey Autumn.” He blew out and looked nervous as for a man that rode for a one percent.

  “Can I come in?”

  I nodded my head, stepping back and holding the door open for him.

  “Did you end up getting that plumbing fixed?” Jacob asked, making conversation while also bringing up the last time I spoke to him.

  It was five months ago.

  “Yeah.” I didn’t know what else to say. So I just stood there awkwardly, and he stood there awkwardly, running a hand through his shady longish blond hair.

  “I um came here to ask you something.” He snuck a glance at me, and then his eyes dropped to his feet. “Know we haven’t been speaking, and I want to fix that.”

  I scoffed. Didn’t intend it to be as loud as it came out though. I quickly then cleared my throat. “Jacob, why force something?” I didn’t know what else to say. But knew that him and I— a relationship, was just that— forced.

  “You know it’s my twenty fifth birthday coming up. Quarter of a life.”

  “And to think you’ve wasted about ten of those years for the club.” I crossed my arms, and glared at him. “Ditching school at fifteen to follow Hawk into the sunset.”

  “Autumn.” He growled.

  A bitter smile crept across my face.

  “What do you want?” I snapped. He must want something and it wouldn’t be just to have a conversation about missing me. Missing me! Who was he kidding! He didn’t miss me!

  “I want you to come to my birthday.”

  “I want you to swallow a mouthful of razor blades.” I said, giving him a blank look. “Because that’s just how pleasant and nice it would be if I came to the club.”

  “Not going to the club.”

  “What? You aren’t having a club party?”

  “Well I am. But I know you won’t come to that. So I suggest we go out for dinner.”

  I laughed. I full out laughed. “That was a good joke.” I slowly dried up. “You and me, and dinner.” I giggled again, and then saw his expression— he was fucking serious and by his expression I had insulted him.

  “Guess not, don’t worry about it then.” Jacob brushed the subject off, and looked and sounded insulted by my reaction.

  I sighed, stepping in his path as he went to escape. “Where and when?”

  I knew there was a chance I’d regret it. However, my brother never had made an effort to be with me, outside of the club. He wasn’t inviting me to his birthday club party because he knew I wouldn’t go. So he had given this some thought. The least I could do was go.

  * * *

  Arriving at The Thai Palace. I inhaled slowly, pushing the door open. Jacob said he would meet me here. I went to the waitress, and just assumed Jacob had put the table under our last name.

  “Table for Watson?” I said, and she smiled nodding, ushering me through.

  I frowned when we approached a closed door, and then she opened it. Why would we not be eating with the other guests? Then I walked in the room. A table set, and Jacob sitting down looking at the menu. Everything was as expected. Apart from, and my eyes went to him.

  Hawk was here.

  Fucking Jacob had tricked me.

  “Thought we could do family tea.” Jacob got up, and I clenched his present in my hand. I wanted to storm out. I wanted to fucking leave! But I couldn’t.

  “Happy birthday.” I said, and he was shocked by my reaction. To be honest if it wasn’t his birthday, I would have lost my shit. I kissed his cheek, and gave him half a hug, handing him the gift.

  I took a seat directly across from Hawk, whose eyes were on me. He hadn’t seen me in nearly over a year. Last time we spoke, it was clear I wanted nothing to do with him.

  Well I had made it clear. And he had accepted it because I had pushed him to believe that he was no good for me. That he could never be the father I needed.

  Hawk picked up the menu and it sort of made sense why we were in our own small room away from the rest of the restaurant. Because there was a high chance things would get vocal.

  Jacob sat the present on the table, and while his master plan was coming together, it was fair to say, he had no idea how to bring conversation between Hawk and I.

  “Geez a Thai place, that serves steak, bit weird if you ask me.” Jacob muttered looking at the menu.

  “One of the reasons the club is getting this place s
o cheap.” Hawk spoke for the first time, and it sent a ripple of emotion through my body. He sounded so cold. Like someone had broken his heart.

  It occurred to me, that Hawk was a good man. Though I always knew that but this right now was a perfect example of why. He was having dinner with his dead wife’s kids. He had no obligation to be here. So that was why I dropped the menu blocking his view of me.

  If he was trying I could try. He didn’t have to put me up in one of his rentals. Hell he didn’t have to make sure there was always money in my bank account. The least I could do was be nice at one dinner. Wasn’t like I was letting them back in my life. But I could be polite— for one night at that.

  “Open your present.” I said to Jacob.

  “So confident I’ll love it.” He winked. I rolled my eyes, watching him rip the paper. “Fuck I feel like a kid.”

  “Jacob you’ve always been a child.” I replied.

  Then he frowned at the box, before opening it, and I saw his expression drop.

  “How did you get this?”

  “Tracked one down on eBay.” I didn’t tell him that I stayed up to the early hours of the morning being a sniper on the site to get it.

  He grinned. “And you got the game to go with it!”

  “What is it?” Hawk asked.

  “Nintendo 64!” Jacob said with way too much delight.

  Hawk rolled his eyes. “Need I remind you, your turning twenty five, not five.”

  “Fuck that Prez, this is the best fuckin present ever.”

  “Better than the new motor for your bike? Which I forked grands out for?”

  Jacob grinned. “So much better.”

  I chuckled and both of them looked at me, like it was music to their ears or something. Their expressions caused me to stop laughing. “So should we order?” I said, and I didn’t even say that to get the night over with. I was actually hungry, and the boys were making it awkward by looking at me like that.

  * * *

  It was awkward at first. The conversation was slow. But it got better when Jacob flipped steak across the room. Brought back memories of him throwing food at me when I was little. The conversation got easier after that, even Hawk had some great one lined comments.

  But the conversation died when Jacob went to the toilet, and I was left with Hawk. I was nervous at first and then grounded myself. He wouldn’t be here, willingly if he wanted nothing to do with me. He could easily go to Jacob’s club party.

  “So how you been?” I asked him, and his eyes snapped off his phone and on to me. I would have to say seeing the surprise in his eyes, made me think hard about how I’ve treated him this last year.

  “Good, Autumn.”

  The fact he didn’t use his nickname for me, sent an alert through my body. He was mad at me. And then he didn’t ask me, how I was. The conversation died right after he answered the question.

  Did I even bother asking another one?

  “And the club’s good?” I went against my better judgement and asked him.

  He looked back at me surprised. I guess because I had written the club off, told him I wanted nothing to do with it, and here I was asking about it.

  “Fine.” His one word answers, made me realize— I had done damage. A lot. Not one dinner was going to fix it.

  He then opened his mouth, looking me in the eyes for the first time tonight. But then Jacob walked back in and he closed his mouth. Guess that saved him from a forced conversation with me.

  “Well I guess that makes it a night.” I said, getting my wallet out and Hawk was quick to shake his head.

  “I’m paying.” He said, and it was final, knew by his tone I couldn’t argue with him.

  “Well thanks for dinner and happy birthday Jacob.” I said getting up. And quickly hugging my brother.

  “Autumn, can I have a word?” Hawk said, as I pulled away from Jacob. He then looked at Jacob. “Seeing as ya brother didn’t bring it up, it puts me in a place where I have to.”

  Jacob shook his head. “Come on Hawk, don’t ruin a good night. I’ll handle it at another day.”

  “Handle what?” I asked.

  “Jacob’s made a mistake.” Hawk began to explain and I frowned, but nodded my head for him to keep going. “And as a result. You have been put in danger. Everyone knows you’re his blood.”

  I looked between them both.

  “Need you to move back to the club, till we sort shit out. Don’t want you dead, like your parents.” Hawk said, with such a coldness in his voice. And the way he casually brought up my parents deaths, frustrated me.

  “Come on Hawk tell her the fucking truth!” Jacob sneered. “You don’t want her death on your hands, cause you just made it sound like you don’t give a shit if she lives or dies.”

  Hawk was silent.

  But Jacob was right. Hawk had made it sound like he didn’t care what happened to me.

  “Autumn can think that if she wants. Regardless, she’s coming back to the clubhouse.” Hawk’s cold steel eyes locked with mine. “Kicking or screaming, ya coming.”

  A coldness waved over my skin. “Well Hawk, you’ve made it clear.” I looked into his steel eyes. “That you aren’t doing this because you care. I’ll pack a bag.” And I wasn’t sure what else to say, because I had learned first hand what happens when you are a clubs target.

  My parents were six feet under because of it.

  I went to leave, getting out the door but then turning back around cause I had left my clutch in there. Just as I approached the door I heard their hushed voices.

  “You think it wise to have her under the same roof as Cage?”

  “Cage knows his place now. He won’t touch her.” Hawk sounded confident of that. “And we need to keep Autumn on ice, if she finds out what’s happened.”

  My eyes widened. So there was more going on. I didn’t know whether to confront them or pretend like I didn’t know.

  I made a loud noise, and then walked back in, swiping my clutch off the table and leaving again; this time, to pack a bag and move back to the clubhouse. For reasons I didn’t want to understand, but I did.

  Chapter Eighteen

  CAGE

  Two days. They said it would take two fucking days. A week later and I was back at the club. All because some junkies thought it would be amusing to tag our rural clubhouse. Then I was sent from the Mother Chapter to deal with it. Cause their president was piss ass weak.

  I stumbled through the clubhouse, tired. Five hour ride would do that to anyone. Finally arriving at the clubhouse, I heard the hushed voices— clearly yelling at each other. The interesting bit? It was coming from Autumn’s old room.

  Then the door swung back open, and out stormed Lit. Looking like his normal serial killer self.

  He disappeared down the hall, after giving me a clear dirty look.

  She hadn’t put on weight. She hadn’t changed at all. Her hands were in her hair, and she was exhaling sharply, clearly upset.

  Did I say something?

  Then she turned, and went to close the door but froze when she saw me.

  “Hi, darling.” My voice sounded smooth, confident but I was freaking the fuck out. “You alright?”

  She scoffed. “Zero of your business.” And her hand gripped the door.

  My hand landed on the door, stopping her from closing it.

  “You love him?” I knew I shouldn’t be so attached to needing the answer to the question. But I had overheard Lit and her were a thing. Hawk had no idea though.

  “Again, zero of your business.” She snapped at me, trying to close the door. Then groaned giving up, when she failed to close it and I stepped into her room, seeing boxes everywhere. Was she moving back here?

  “I don’t think he loves you.” I said, and her eyes narrowed on me. “I’m no expert in love but I’m sure that a man that had you, wouldn’t be eyeing down the strippers every Saturday night.”

  My words cut her. Saw it on her face.

  “You’re right. You d
on’t know what love is.” She planted her hands on her hips.

  “You’re right. But I know what love isn’t and how Lit treats you, isn’t love.” I then stepped back out of the room. “Good seeing you again Autumn.”

  I turned and walked towards my door.

  When a hand gripped my shoulder, spinning me around. “How about I tell you a story Cage.” She hissed. “About a girl, a teenage one, that fell in love with a man’s soft touches. A man that went against everything she wanted. Then just as she thinks he feels something for her, he gets locked up.” She shoved me backwards but I barely moved. “Then she goes and sleeps with a clerk at his prison, just to see him. Only to have that man, spit her out like she was nothing.” Her eyes went glassy. “To top that off, she then gets in debt to a biker, who was legit born to make her life hell.”

  She scoffed. And went to leave but my hands clamped around hers. “How about I tell you a story?” I edged closer to her. “About a man that went in because he had a crush on a girl. Wanted to protect her. Only he goes in, turns dark, and comes out a serial killer. Who will never be good enough to get her back.”

  My breathing was sharp. Her breathing was sharp. Both staring at each other. I was lost in those emerald vivid eyes.

  “You’re right.” She blew out. And ripped her hands from mine. “He will never be good enough for her. Because she learned all bikers are more loyal to their brothers then their women.” And with those words, she turned her back on me and stormed to her room, slamming the door.

  I stayed put for a second. Rage washing over me. Turning to fury. Resulting in full blood boiling out of control crimpling anger. I slammed my door shut locking it and storming down the hall. I needed to get out of here. I needed a fucking drink.

  Spent nearly two fucking years sitting in a cell thinking about her. Wondering if she had left the lifestyle. And those words she had just sprayed at me, saying I’d never be good enough, were like a fucking knife to my cold heart.