Nitro's Torment (Sydney Storm MC 2)

She leaned across the bar. “Shit’s getting a little too real around here, Nitro. I’m not sure I can hang around much longer.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Why?”

She ran her fingers through her hair. “Someone slashed my tyres yesterday. That’s three things now that they’ve done to try to scare me, and it’s working. I know you said the club would keep me safe, but I’m worried.” Her voice wobbled as she looked at me with wide eyes full of fear.

I stared at her. She had no grit and we didn’t need any weak links. People like Brittany only put everyone else at risk. “We’ll find someone to replace you.”

She frowned. “I didn’t mean I wanted out completely. Maybe I could just take some time off while you guys sort it out.”

“No.”

Her lips flattened. “So just like that you’ll replace me? After everything I’ve done for the club, you’ll just send me on my way without a backwards glance?”

“Everything you’ve done for the club? You poured beers and ran the bar, which you were paid for.”

“I did way more than just make drinks and you know it,” she snapped.

“What the fuck else did you do, Brittany? Suck some dick and try to fuck your way onto the back of a bike? That was your choice.”

Her face scrunched up in anger. “You’re an asshole, you know that? I can’t believe I thought that underneath it all, you had some good inside of you.”

My body tensed, my own anger surfacing. I should have known better than to fuck someone who was so close to my daily life. “I can have someone here to replace you in an hour. You want me to make that call?”

She flinched. And then, straightening her shoulders, she said, “No, I’ll finish out this week and then I’ll leave.”

I rested my hand on the bar and leaned towards her. “No, you’ll finish up today. We’ll pay you for the week, but you won’t step foot inside this clubhouse after today.”

As I walked away from her, I eyed Kick entering the building. When he reached me, I said, “We need to replace Brittany. Today. You got anyone?”

He nodded, always a yes man. “I can find someone.”

“And organise for Jacko to pay Brittany for the week.”

“What’s going on? Jacko’s gonna ask why, so I need to know what to tell him.” He was right. Our treasurer never paid bills without verifying them first.

“She’s weak, Kick, and she’ll burn us if anyone gets to her. I’m not willing to take a chance on that. The stakes are too fucking high and we’ve all paid a price. I won’t pay again.”

He nodded. “Consider it done.”

I’d never make this mistake again. Brittany had fucked other club members besides me, but it had been clear in her eyes just then that she wanted more from me. Sex would never be about something more for me. Not when trust was a necessary part of that equation. I trusted a handful of people in life and I wasn’t looking to add to that small group.

* * *

King’s lip curled up as he snarled at our newest patched member during Church, “Are you with us or not, Slider? Because if you’re not, you need to get up and walk out of here now.”

Slider threw him a filthy look. “I’m with you, but—”

King slammed his fist down on the heavy wooden table as anger flared in his eyes. “There’s no room for buts. We all agreed upon our course of action before last night, and I for one am fucking committed to it. Silver Hell will be decimated. Now, are you fucking with us or not?”

Slider clenched his jaw before giving King one firm nod. “I’m with you.”

King shoved his fingers through his hair and blew out a harsh breath. “Right, now that’s settled, this is where we stand at last count. Seven of their club members were taken out last night, including their VP and Sergeant-at-Arms”—he glanced at me—“and the motherfucker who has been fucking with our families.”

Conversation broke out at that news; it was what everyone had been waiting to hear. We’d all had family members suffer at the hands of Silver Hell.

“And their strip club?” Skull asked, breaking through the noise of everyone talking.

King nodded. “Hyde and Devil were successful there. It’s out of action for awhile.”