Claimed by the Biker Giant (Maxine and Tank) novel Chapter 84

Max POV

I woke to no Tank; it didn’t surprise me, knowing the Prez was out of commission for the night, and Tank had to step up. His arrival with breakfast was nice, but not the news he brought. I hate traitors as much as cheaters.

We ate talking about the ceremony, and our promises, both laughed at our strange and silly ideas, it was a good way to improve the start of the day, after the bomb shell he landed on me, and I wonder how Prez was feeling, after getting so drunk, that Tank had to step up, would have be proud of the way he handled himself when he needed to, or would have be feeling guitly for letting his hair down and getting drunk?

A knock had Tank headed to the door.

Opening to find Prez and Sticks on the other side.

“Time,” was all he said.

I picked up the tray and headed to the door. The four of us headed downstairs as a united front.

Dropped off the trays, Sticks did the same, but she stayed in the kitchen, while I headed to the cells with the men.

We passed a few guards on the way, gaining a nod for the men and raising eyebrows for me. I smiled and continued.

Bruiser was outside Doris’s cell, waiting.

“Max, before you go in, I want to say, thank you for what you did last night for Sticks. She’s like her old self again, and even apologized to me for her behaviour. Don’t know the details of what you said, or did, but thank you.” I nodded and turned to Bruiser. I wasn’t sure what to say or do about that.

Bruiser unlocked the door and moved aside for me to enter. I heard the other cell unlock, and profanities coming from inside before the door closed, taking all sound with it.

Doris was lying on the floor, a thin mattress made of straw, no sheets or blankets, a bucket in the corner to do her business, an empty cup, and where she might have had water, but that was gone, and there was a wet patch on the floor, so maybe in anger, she knocked it over. She will learn not to knock it over next time she gets thirsty.

“Good morning, Doris.” She looked scared and in pain, but running as she did, she lost the privilege of our doctor’s help, for now that is.

She raised her hand and pointed to her mouth, then to the cup.

“Did you spill your water? The guard will be around this afternoon, with more.” Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Did you think trying to escape would put you back in that nice, cushy cell? You are in lockdown, meaning water and food once a day. In your case, I don’t think you can eat, so just water. So are you ready to talk to us?” I asked politely.

She raised her middle finger at me, and I chuckled, reaching out faster than she could pull her hand back, and heard the satisfying sound of her finger snapping, and her blood-curdling scream.

“Shall we try again. I am not usually this brutal, but I don’t like cheaters, or traitors, and you, my dear, fall into the category of both.” I smiled sweetly at her, all the years of being the victim, I knew what it was like to be on the other side, however, I prefer this side, it’s much easier, and giving me a kind of satisfaction I hadn’t felt before, like I was getting my own back on all the years I couldn’t against my sister.

Doris was cuddling her hand, keeping it close to her chest, and shaking her head no.

“Bruiser, would you like to have a go?” I knew Bruiser wouldn’t touch her, but she didn’t.

We work together as a team. We never know how many would show up for meals, so we make a certain amount, and if we run out, the person has to make their own. I had offered to do more once, and nearly had my head chewed off, first in, first-served, or something like that. No sooner had we decided we had done enough than the first started arriving to take the plates out to the serving table; it’s the only time the men help, other than BBQs, eager to get the food.

We joined them, grabbing a plate and sitting down together. Just the two of us, no sign of Cricket or Pins, or Jenny, whom I think would still be in bed with Blaze.

“Prez and I talked this morning, he brought me breakfast, and apologised for being a d**k. Apparently, something went down last night, and he was too drunk to handle it, so Tank took over, and according to him, did a bang-up job.” I nodded, knowing what had gone down, and wondered why Prez hadn’t told her the whole story. I wouldn’t blame him; she was fragile at the moment, and some TLC would be needed. Maybe he was testing the waters; it’s not easy to talk about the hard stuff while you are trying to make up an argument.

“Tank was not in bed this morning when I woke, so I thought maybe something had happened during the night. He did show up with a plate of bacon, eggs, and a nice breakfast. They must have come upstairs together, after talking.” If she was fishing for answers, I wasn’t giving them, not my story to tell.

“Yeah, it was thoughtful of our men.” We had just finished eating when Pins and Cricket arrived, arms loaded with bags, and guys behind them carrying more.

“We’ve been out buying the food for Friday.” Cricket boasted, expecting a big thank you. I looked at Sticks and waited.

“Did you take the list from the kitchen?” Sticks and I both know they didn’t, as it was still pinned to the fridge with a magnet.

“There was a list?” Pins asked, looking at Cricket and then to me, and lastly back to Sticks.

“I forgot, if I missed anything, I will go back out and get it. Thanks for doing lunch, I completely forgot I was on duty, it’s my fault Pins wasn’t here either.” Taking the blame for both of them.

“Maybe talk about it before heading into town, next time,” I said, collecting the Sticks plate and leaving her to deal with Cricket, making me wonder if maybe she was part of the reason Sticks had changed. Cricket was trying to act high and mighty, because she was Bruiser girl, guess she too will come tumbling down soon enough, why do people do that, change so much, I thought Cricket was okay, mind you, I hadn’t had that much to do with her before now, she was always at Sticks’ side, cosying up to her. I think she might feel threatened because Tank is the VP now, which makes me above her, but I would never act any differently because of it.