by K. C. Stone
“No, Doc, that would be to not get shot,” I yell back.
“True, it’s okay. I will clean him up, he will need to take it easy for a couple weeks but hopefully, nothing to strenuous, bed rest for a while. I will come back and check on him once a day,” Doc says, standing and walking toward me.
“Church now!” I command. The devil inside demanding vengeance and the only payment he will take is blood.
One by one the brothers file in, taking a seat. I look around at my guys, dirty, bloody and beat down. Worn out from everything that has gone on the past few months, it is visibly weighing on them now.
“The shit that has happened these past few months has got to stop. I don’t know who these fuckers think they are but nobody fucks with this club. I refuse to stand by and let anyone think they have a fucking chance at taking this club down.” I slam my fist on the table as a chorus of hell yea and fucking right rings out.
“Here is what we are gonna do, we will lay low in here, continue with lockdown, only brothers go out if they have something specific they need to do. Call the customers when jobs are finished, we will deliver bikes to them. I don’t want any risk coming to them, got it?” I tell them.
“Sounds good, what else?” Ezra asks still covered in blood from Viper.
“Your ass needs a shower, that’s what’s next.” I toss a rag at him and their laughter calms me just a little.
“Next, we repair our guys and then we breakdown their clubs bit by bit, destroying every one of them,” I tell them.
“Agreed, we need to be smart and tactical about this, stealthy. So, what did you have in mind?” Gunner asks.
“I have Tech getting me plans for the Brooklyn house. Cara said when she was younger, she played in the tunnels under the house. Back in the day it was an old speakeasy they used tunnels underground to funnel liquor and shit,” I tell them.
“No shit, that’s awesome,” Tex pipes up.
“Well, boys, we are gonna use those tunnels to get into the house and take it over one by one. We will not stop until they are all dead,” I say as I lean back. My devil isn’t satisfied but I have to be smart about this. I’m fucking sick and tired of people getting hurt because of recklessness and bullshit.
“I’m with you, brother, sounds like a great plan.” Dom leans forward resting his arms on the table.
“Sounds good, fellas. We don’t have a gun run or delivery until month after next, so we got plenty of time, the shop is all caught up, so nothing standing out there,” Ranger says.
My phone rings and I look down at the number and answer it.
“Yo, yup. Great,” I respond then hang up.
“Doc’s done. Let’s call it a day, boys.” I slam the gavel down and chairs make a creaking sound as everyone rises to leave.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Cara
Once all the men went into church, I pull out my phone. I need those blueprints as soon as possible.
“Cara, I was just about to call you,” Missy says before I can even say hello.
“Hey, Missy.” I look up to see Matthew standing in front of me.
“Cara, I told you to wait for me.” He grips my chin looking me in the eyes, and his normal brilliant emerald green eyes, were muted and filled with pain. I reach for him pulling him to me, but he winces. I look down and see a trail of blood oozing from his shoulder.
“Matthew,” I whisper, trying not to alarm the others. I can hear Smokey in the background talking to someone by the way the conversation sounds, it’s most likely Ramona.
“I’m okay, it was just a graze,” he says. “Nothing to worry about. Please, Cara,” he pleads. I can tell he doesn’t want to worry the brothers even more.
“Please let me take care of it, Matthew,” I beg him, if anything I can at least clean it up.
He concedes and takes my hand. “Okay, Angel, I will let you fix up your man,” he says with a smirk and his smirk doesn’t quite reach his eyes, but it eases the tension.
“How are they?” he hollers just past me.
“They?” I ask. “Who all was hurt?” I look around and see Viper of course, now that he has calmed down, he’s resting on the couch being babied by Leah.
“Rooster got a graze to the chest and Viper,” he replies.
“And you,” I say just above a whisper.
“Well, it’s good to know I have the sexiest nurse this side of New York that will see to my every need.” He pulls me in between his legs with his good arm.
“Oh yes, I will, whatever you need,” I say, kissing his lips tasting him.
“So, whatever huh, does that mean a sexy nurse costume, as well,” he jokes.
“Well, I was thinking mainly I could just wear nothing.” I slap at his chest. “Let me get you cleaned up.” I lean around him to grab the first aid bag.
Fear rips through me as images of just how bad this could have been coming front and center, images of Matthew bleeding out, nothing I could do to stop it. Bile rises in my throat, I swallow it down.
“Hey, what was that look for?” He touches my face, wiping a tear that I didn’t know had fallen.
“Nothing, I’m okay, I was just scared,” I tell him because it’s the truth.
“Cara, fuck, baby, look at me,” he growls, looking directly into my eyes.
“Baby, I will never let anyone, or anything hurt you ever again.” His voice was filled with aggression but gentle at the same time.
“Matthew, I’m not scared for me, I’m terrified that something will happen to you, if that ever happened, I don’t know what I would do. You are my life, I let you go once before and that will always be my regret, but I cannot and will not lose you again,” I tell him pouring all of my soul out to him.
His eyes changed, softened and shifted from pain filled and angry to my favorite shade of emerald.
“Angel, you have no idea what that means to me. I promise I will not let you go, ever. I will protect you with everything I have, that I will promise you,” he says, embracing me, crashing his lips to mine.
“Let me finish cleaning you up.” I pull his shirt over his head and then I take a rag, run it under warm water, washing the dried blood from his arm.
“Oh, damn, look at all the shirtless men in the room,” Jules says, and we all turn.
“Princess,” Dom growls from behind her.
“Damn it, I did it again didn’t I,” she says softly.
“Yes, you did, princess,” he chuckles and the rest of us laugh.
She turns and buries her face into his chest. Instantly he wraps her in his arms and my heart squeezes. I’m relieved she found a man that will love her and protect her above anything. It was at that moment I realized the fears I had of her ever being a part of this world were just irrational fears put in my head by others. I look at the love and protection in this room and I’m overwhelmed with the feeling of family, loyalty, and love.
“Babe, you keep looking at me like that and you will be naked before you could protest,” Matthew growls in my ear and I feel it throughout my body.
I bite my lip. I can feel the blush creeping up my neck and color my cheeks.
“That’s not a bad idea but, baby, before we get to that, I just want to hold you for a minute,” he says, pulling me into his arms enveloping me in his scent, sandalwood and musk, and I try to burrow myself into him.
Doc walks up and clears his throat. “Hmmm, I hate to interrupt,” he says as I dislodge myself from Matthew’s arms and turn facing him.
“This is Thalia, she will be staying with us for a while.”
I look at the person standing in front of me, her eyes tell a story, one that we have seen and been through before.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Locke
“Yo, Doc.” I lean forward taking his hand.
“Thanks for coming. Thalia, it’s nice to see you again.” I lean toward her and she shies away from me. Instantly, I jerk my hand back, I should have known that would happen. Just as I was about to step away
Cara moves past me.
“Hey, sweetie, my name is Cara,” my Angel introduces herself. She reaches out and gently touches the girl’s hand and Thalia flinches but doesn’t shy away.
“Cara, babe, would you take Thalia here to meet the other girls while Doc looks at Viper and Rooster,” I ask, giving her a gentle squeeze to her side.
“Thalia, go with Cara, it’s okay nothing bad will happen to you here,” Doc reassures her.
Thalia nods her head in acquiescence, Cara turns to follow her when Doc reaches for her arm.
“Hey, so, she will respond you just have to give her time she can’t really talk yet, she may say some words, but I doubt it. She’s very timid, terrified is more like it, so just be gentle,” he warns her.
“Doc, we are gentle,” she replies, the smirk on her face says it all.
“Yeah, I know but I also know how colorful you ladies can be as well,” he jokes back as she runs off.
“So, what is her story, she give you anything else?” I ask, handing him a glass, filling it halfway after grabbing the whiskey from behind the bar.
“It’s been a long day, so you’re bringing out the good shit,” he says, tipping the glass toward me then taking a long drink, I do the same, the burn warms my throat spreading through my chest.
“She was mainly used as a punching bag, her jaw is broken, two ribs cracked, old breaks that had already started to heal, same shit as the girls,” he says.
“And?” I ask, staring at him to finish. I need to know just how much damage was done.
“She said nobody raped her, but sadly she was supposed to go to Marcos so had you not stepped in, that would have changed and who the fuck knows what else would have happened to her,” he tells me and the grip he has on the glass tells me he is just as angry as I am.
“I don’t fucking understand, what the hell would make men, even fucking women, want to be a part of something so vile, so disgusting. I have seen some sick shit in my day but what the girls have been through, it just makes my stomach turn,” he says, placing his hands on the bar top.
“I don’t get it either, brother, what kind of low life do you have to fucking be, but don’t worry about it. They will pay for what they have done, I will make damn sure they will not be fucking touching another girl.” The thought of my Jules having to even go through that for just a few days fills me with enough anger to kill a hundred times over.
“You think you will catch John and that will be the end of it?” he asks, the rage and hate in his eyes mirroring mine.
“No, I’m not stupid, I know there are others that do this shit, but damn, Doc, if I can stop this asshole then that’s one less masochistic motherfucker in this world,” I tell him, his nod tells me that he agrees.
“I’m going to check on Viper make sure he’s sedated and comfortable. Thalia is not ready to leave quite yet but I wanted to slowly ease her into meeting everyone,” he tells me.
“Sounds good, Doc, thank you,” I say as he turns away and heads back over to Viper who now looks like he’s getting babied by Leah and loving every fucking minute of it. I can’t help but smirk and his return smirk, makes me chuckle. “Fucking brilliant,” I mumble, walking away. Maybe I should try that one on Cara, I think to myself.
Later on, I’m lying in bed with Cara wrapped around me, her body melded into mine, her hair splayed across her back, and all I can think about is how truly blessed I am.
“What are you thinking about?” her question startles me to the present.
“Just thinking about how fucking lucky I am to have you,” I tell her.
“Matthew.” Her tone has me alarmed.
“Yeah, babe,” I say, running my knuckles up and down her arm, the way her skin feels against mine is as close to heaven as I will ever get.
“I’m sorry, I came back without telling you, it seems to have caused more trouble for you,” she whispers.
“It’s okay, baby, you’re here that’s all that matters,” I tell her because it’s the truth, I could give two shits what happened, I’m just damn glad she’s back.
“Are you still pissed at Mac and Fitz,” she asks timidly, she sniffled, shit is she crying.
“Oh yeah, umm, about that,” I say cause fuck I hope she laughs at this.
“What, Matthew?” she says alarm in her tone.
“I already knew you were coming back.”
“Excuse me,” she says and by her tone she’s either confused or pissed hopefully confused.
“Babe, do you actually think my boys would go against their orders? Mac called me right after you told him your scheming plan. As much as they love you, babe, I’m their President and they would never go against an order,” I tell her. Holding my breath hoping she’s not pissed because I want to get lucky again tonight.
“So, Mac told you everything. That jerk, he led me to believe you would be pissed at him and that I would be in a world of trouble for coming back early,” she says in a huff sitting up, she looks beautiful my chest tightens just from looking at her.
“You are so beautiful, you know that?” I run my fingers gently up her arm.
“Don’t patronize me right now, Matthew McKenzie.” Her tone strict, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“No, I’m serious, you’re so beautiful, lips cherry red and swollen, hair wavy and tangled in a disarray from sex, your skin is so soft and supple under my fingertips, my marks all over your skin, you’re a heavenly sight,” I tell her the urge to take her is strong.
“I might be all those things but you’re still an ass,” she says, laying back down burrowing into me.
“Baby, I never said I wasn’t,” I joke with her since she laid back down, she’s not too mad at me.
“Shut up and hold me,” she says as her eyes flutter closed and her breath evens out.
Damn it I want to have sex with her again, the heat of her body nestled into mine will have to work for the night. I think to myself.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Cara
I knew Matthew wouldn’t let me come here alone, so when he offered two of the brothers, I gladly took them. I knew they would be busy with the Brooklyn house. It didn’t take me long to realize that everything we had been looking for was hiding in plain sight.
I thought being back here would bring back memories, instead I feel like a stranger walking around some cold empty home. I walk into Sal’s old office everything just the way he left it, I have not been to this house since he died, I used to think I loved this house and now it reminds me of nothing but pain and years of settling.
I walk around the room running my hand across the backs of his black leather sofas, it still smells like him, spices mixed with cedar and a hint of tobacco still permeated the air.
“Cara, I told you leaving me is not an option, you know that.”
“Why, it’s not like your bed will be cold without me,” I snap back.
“Shut the hell up, you have no idea what you’re talking about, besides you have not touched me in years.”
“Why would I, don’t think I’m stupid, I know you have been fucking everything with two legs, tits, and a mini skirt,” I spit back at him turning to walk away, he grabs my arm.
My cheek burns as his hand makes contact. “Shut your mouth,” he bites back at me.
A crash brings me back to the present. I look down and realize I knocked over one of his bookends.
When I lean down to pick it up, I notice the small black button, right under the lip of the mahogany desk, the small click sounds so loud in the silence. I pull open the trap drawer, I pull out the photo album that was tucked away inside it.
“Ezra,” I call back toward the doorway, I get no response.
“Ezra are you there?” I ask once more, walking toward the door, as I turn, I’m startled by the click and cocking of a gun.
“Yell one more time and your brains will be splattered all over this expensive ugly ass painting.” My blood turns to ice, his tone letting me know in no way was he kiddi
ng.
“Back into the room, you and I are going to have a little chat,” he says grabbing my hair and yanking me into the room and onto the couch.
“John, what do you want?” I ask, trying to keep the trepidation out of my voice.
“What the fuck do you mean, what do I want? What in the hell do you think I want?” He waves the gun in my face.
“I don’t know, you have everything of Sal’s, you took over the crew, everything. There is nothing more, I only came back for some family photos and albums,” I tell him, hoping he will buy it.
“Ahh yes,” he says, walking over toward Sal’s desk, picking up the double frame photos of Jules from high school.
“The princess, she’s gorgeous isn’t she?” He gazes at her photo and an uneasy feeling settles over me.
“What do you want from me?” I ask again, bile rising as I wonder what happened to Ezra and Capone.
“She will be mine one day, if not by choice then by the sheer will to stay alive,” he says, and I freeze. The smile on his face rivals one that would make the devil terrified.
“You will never fucking touch her again, you bastard!” I lunge at him just as he jumps out of the way. I land on the desk knocking everything off of it in the process, everything except the sterling silver letter opener with the eagle’s head I bought Sal for Father’s Day three years ago. Internally, I cheer as I slide the silver dagger into my waist band, the sick bastard will die, I may die in the process, but I will be damned if he touches my daughter again.
“You are a brave little woman, aren’t you? So, does your man know that you’re here?” he asks, taunting me.
“You are a sick bastard,” I spit at him. “You think you won but you’re wrong, those girls they will be happy, healthy, and never think about your vile disgusting pathetic ass again,” I seethe at him. The look in his eyes momentarily lets me know that I got to him.
Yes, I think to myself, keep going you found his weakness.
“Ha,” his laugh was sinister. “You bitch, do you think I care that you and your shit biker trash club rescued those girls? I can take more. As for your precious Juliane, I have found a nice placeholder until she comes around, want to see,” he sneers, pulling out his phone.