“Not a fucking gang, fucker.” I hear Broke snap as he cocks his gun.
“I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding,” Speck Sr. tries, but the way his gaze is flipping between us and his son, he knows shit is about to be blown wide open.
The only one who doesn’t seem nervous is Bugsy and it’s starting to creep me out. “Where the fuck is she?” I snap, making Bugsy’s gaze land on mine.
“She? Who are you talking about? I’ve been here all day, alone. I had a date last night and she left this morning. Wait, I know you...didn’t I meet you at a party along with a redhead? Ah, you were fighting back then, trouble in paradise again? Did you drive her into the arms of a rich man perhaps? Father,” Bugsy turns slightly, “didn’t I see you with a little redheaded pet?”
What. The. Fuck?
Speck Sr.’s eyes widen as he shakes his head, clearly trying to understand where Bugsy is going with this. I might as well give the father some details before the fucker thinks he can clean up after his son again. Time to hide is over, the fucking murderer has gone too far; this ends now.
“I have enough evidence to tie you to two murders, Bugsy,” I bark, hoping to fuck my woman is still alive.
“You got nothing,” Bugsy snaps. “You’re lying your ass off, idiot.” His eyes go to his father. “He’s bluffing, there’s no evidence linking to me.”
That’s his fucking reply? Not even denying the two murders because he feels fucking safe enough to know he didn’t fuck up? Ice fills my veins because Xena is a loose end. Did he silence her? Is she still breathing? Dizziness threatens to overcome me as I hear voices from upstairs and to my left.
“All clear,” Ramrod states.
“Couldn’t find her, Prez,” Depay grumbles.
“Mind leaving the house? Obviously, none of you were invited and I’ll make sure my father’s lawyer contacts you for all the damage,” Bugsy smirks.
“I have you on video,” I growl, making his and his father’s gaze land on mine. “All the fucking money in the world ain’t going to save you this time, fucker. No matter how many times your father has washed your hands clean for you. It all ends here, you’re done. Now tell me where the fuck my woman is or I swear to God, I’ll start slicing skin to make you talk.”
“Call the cops, they have no right, they’re outlaws,” Bugsy sneers at his father.
Now it’s my time to smirk. “You go on and call the cops, asshole. They will be happy to in-fucking-form you Broken Deeds MC has more authority than any other person wearing a damn badge in this fucking country.”
There. Fear in his eyes. Finally, the fucker realizes his end is near.
“I might have an idea where he could have put the woman,” Speck Sr. says, making all eyes land on him.
“I told you he had a redheaded pet, it was him, not me!” Bugsy points an accusing finger at his father.
Guilt washes over his father’s face. Fucking hell, what’s going on?
“Talk and do it damn fast,” Deeds snaps, stalking over to Speck Sr. and grabbing him by the arm to get him to move.
He rushes over to a closet in the hallway, opening it and then the fucker punches a button, making part of the wall slide to the side, showing stairs leading to a hidden basement.
“Don’t fucking move.” I hear Ramrod behind me as I turn to see him push Bugsy to his knees. Ramrod gives me a nod. “I got him brother.”
I follow Deeds and Speck Sr. down a flight of stairs and into a damn BDSM basement. Then I see her and the mechanism of a pendulum swinging a sharp object, almost done with cutting through a rope. A rope strapped to a large knife threatening to kill Xena any damn second.
“Fuck.” Deeds locks eyes with me. “Fast, and careful, brother.”
In this moment, time is irrelevant, how Xena is displayed is irrelevant, if I die saving her is irrelevant; what matters is keeping my woman alive. Deeds and I both rush forward at the same time the rope breaks and the large knife swings forward aimed straight at my woman’s heart.
Mid swing, I manage to grab the knife and rip it away from its path.
“Failsafe,” Deeds grunts and jumps forward in time to hold out his hand, spearing himself with a second knife.
“For fuck’s sake, what the hell is this fucking shit?” Deeds growls. “And this fucking hurts.”
“Thanks,” I manage before I glance over my shoulder and see Speck Sr. staring at Deeds with wide eyes.
“My son...he did this, didn’t he? How could he? He’s...no.” The idiot looks as if he can’t believe his son went from petty crime to assault to fucking murder.
I cut the rope connected to the knife still lodged in Deeds’ hand and grab his shirt to rip it with the knife too. This way I have a piece of fabric to wrap around his hand. I give him a pat on the shoulder, mainly to get him to move and go upstairs, but he’s still eying me.
“You know you need to keep it in there, right? It’s keeping shit it cut through in place so don’t fucking remove it, the paramedics will get here and let them deal with it. Go upstairs, and get this fucker the hell out of here,” I tell him as Deeds nods and starts to push Speck Sr. up the stairs.
I hear my woman’s whimpers and though it’s music to my ears to realize she’s still alive, I can’t start to imagine what she’s going through right now. I rush over to the St. Andrew’s Cross where my woman is spread wide. Naked. Gagged. And fucking blindfolded.
Twisted, but I’m damn happy she’s blindfolded and didn’t witness the two knives coming at her. Fucking hell, knives set up to kill her and almost fucking succeeded too. I can’t imagine coming a few minutes later down those damn stairs, to have seen...to have found her, lifeless, unable to help...memories of my daughter’s lifeless body swarm my head and I push them back. Not now. I didn’t lose Xena. She’s still breathing. Xena is alive.
“I got you, baby, I’m right here,” I murmur as I untie her wrists and ankles. She sags into my arms and I make fast work of removing the gag and blindfold.
She’s shaking and I notice a blanket on the floor but I can’t stand to wrap her in anything that doesn’t belong to me so I shrug out of my cut and shirt and shove my shirt over her head and add my leather cut before I take her into my arms again.
Tears are streaming down her face. “He killed Sophie...Gavin...he shot them.”
“I know, baby. You’re so fucking strong. You got it all on video, he won’t get away with it. I’m so fucking sorry about your friends. So, so sorry,” I croak.
“I was so scared I wasn’t ever going to see you again.” She buries her face into my chest. “I thought he was going to kill me before you got to me. I knew you were coming...I just...I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’ve got you, I won’t let anything happen to you ever again,” I vow and kiss the top of her head relishing in the fact I’m holding her, alive and well, wrapped in my Broken Deeds MC cut.
I fucking know there are risks in life and one can’t ever take all the precautions, but this woman is mine and I fucking protect what’s mine. The vow I took for the club is the same way where all my brothers have my back as I have theirs. The patch to claim holds the same loyalty and respect, the exchange to show your partner and every-fucking-one who you belong to.
I changed my mind. I need it. My woman needs it. Even though my brothers and even I called her my ol’lady without the patch. Like I said...I need it now. I almost fucking lost her without fully claiming her.
I hoist her up in my arms and carry her up the stairs. Once there, I stalk to my VP, Prez is standing right next to him. “Broke, can you put my ol’lady in my truck? Wait for me, I’ll be right there.”
Broke doesn’t think twice but takes Xena out of my arms. Xena’s eyes find mine and I give her a slight nod. “Right behind you, baby.”
I turn to Deeds. “Text your ol’lady. I need her to ink me as soon as I’m at the clubhouse.”
He grabs his phone and shoots off a text. I wait for his eyes to land on mine again.
“You told me ‘Don’t take fucking chances with your ol’lady,’ and I won’t ever again. Still valid what you said before that?” I question.
“Always, brother.” Deeds nods, giving me his blessing.
I spin around and palm my gun as I take aim right between Bugsy’s eyes. Ramrod steps away from him. Bugsy doesn’t have the chance to process what happens next because the bullet plows through his brain, making him fall back and hit the floor the next instant.
“Noooooo.” Speck Sr. is holding his head, sobbing over the death of his son.
I point my gun at the man. “Don’t waste your damn tears. He stole your car and was set to incriminate you with a hit and run, fucking murder, whatever might have been easier. And let’s not forget my woman in your damn basement. Because I’m fucking sure your finger prints would be all over that fucking basement, not Bugsy’s.”
“Bugsy was right...it was me. It’s all my fault,” the man sobs. “My...my fault. He still blames me and he’s right...I should have never asked him to take my place in the car when I hit my wife with my car. We had an argument, she was going to leave us. It was an accident, I didn’t mean it! My foot slipped.”
“Cray-cray runs in the family,” Ramrod mutters. “I did it, it’s my fault, it was an accident, my foot slipped...man the fuck up and tell it like it is fucker. Did you really let a six-year-old take the fall for you killing his fucking mother? Fucking hell.” Ramrod shakes his head and more hatred slides through my veins.
I don’t need this fucking shit. What I need is my woman.
“Can I head out?” I ask Deeds and he gives me a nod in return, allowing me to jog after Xena who’s waiting for me in my truck.
Chapter 18
***Xena***
“Oh, Xena, are you okay?” Lips says as she cups my face and pierces me with an intense gaze to see if I will answer her honestly.
“I’m not, but I will be,” I tell her as I feel Lochlan coming up behind me.
“Do you have everything set?” Lochlan asks Lips, making me turn to see what he means by this.
Lips steps back and points to a chair near a table in the corner. “All set, let me know what spot, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Make what happen?” I question in confusion.
Lochlan’s arms circle my waist from behind, his mouth going to my ear as he whispers, “I’m claiming you the right way, baby. We’re getting inked.”
“What?” I squeak, turning in his arms to look him in the eyes.
“Fuck,” he mutters. “I’m an ass. A fucking selfish ass. I didn’t think. You must be exhausted and the last thing you want is to get inked. The way I found you, what you went through...I...I’m sorry, I didn’t think this shit through.”
Is he insane? “Okay, did you hit your head in any way? Why do you want to get inked now? You need to calm down and think this through. Clearly, you’re on an adrenaline high. It’s okay, you’re okay, I’m okay. We’re still together, it’s all good, we don’t have to do this.”
Don’t get me wrong, I’d absolutely feel honored he wants to get a patch inked together and for him to fully claim me, but to do it right now? He might regret it when the adrenaline fades. Besides, I’ve always felt I never have to do anything for others, it’s what I feel deep inside what counts. So, I’m in no rush to get inked together.
What I’m one hundred percent sure of is my feelings for Lochlan. Not only did I fall for this man, but I fell hard. I love him. And what he just said and wants to do tells me he feels the same way.
And he’s right. I went to hell in the last few hours. Finding Gavin in the back of a car, Bugsy shooting him, killing Sophie in front of my eyes too. Then he dragged me with him, knocked me out with a blow to the head with his gun. I saw it coming, felt the pain until the world faded to black. I woke up strapped, gagged, blindfolded, and cold.
Luckily it didn’t last long and the first thing I saw and heard was Lochlan, saving me. I slipped from hell and fell straight into my own piece of heaven on earth where I’m cherished, openly claimed, and where he gives more of himself to me. He manages to warm me even more than the shirt and his cut he wrapped me in when I was naked.
Moments ago, I thought I had nothing left, I thought I was going to die. It puts things in perspective and all of this is pulling its weight on Lochlan even more. With his background I need to make sure it’s not a spur of the moment thing where things come crashing down when the adrenaline rush fades.
“I know we don’t have to...I just...really want to,” he swallows and looks...shy? “but you don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”
“Are you kidding?” I launch myself at him and hug him tight. “I just wanted to make sure it’s not a heat of the moment thing for you. It’s kinda big, you know...a tattoo will remain forever.”
“First,” Lochlan chuckles, “you don’t have to get a big one, it can be tiny.” A grunt leaves his lips when I punch him in his shoulder. How can he be making jokes about something so freaking serious?
His smile slides from his face and a fierce look settles in place. “And like the ink, baby...we will remain forever. Now, next week, next year, decades, in death, you and me...us, forever, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I totally swoon over this man and his words, for the first time stating and showing openly we’re going forward together from now on.
“Awwww, how cute. Now, who do I get to ink first?” Lips snaps, turning on the tattoo gun, making it hum.
“Me,” Lochlan croaks. “Right here.” He points at the left side of his ribs. “Close to my heart and right next to,” he clears his throat but no words follow.
“Right next to his other girl,” I whisper while my throat clogs up too. The place where he wants the ink is special to him, right next to the tattoo of the little girl holding the balloon.
Without any words this man shows me how much I mean to him. Even more than actually getting inked. I have to blink to keep the tears at bay that are stinging my eyes. This man gives me so much, creating an us where the both of us live by our own rules, not caring what the outer world would think or say.
Lochlan reaches out and I place my hand in his giving it a tiny squeeze. Lips only nods and gives us a bright smile. She reaches out and grabs two sheets of paper, showing the designs she made. The red Broken Deeds MC patch with one holding my name and the other has Lochlan’s name written in the patch.
“Perfect,” Lochlan states and holds his other arm up to give Lips the room she needs to work with.
I hear a scream from behind me and I turn just in time to open my arms and catch Doll who launches herself at me to hug tight. “Ramrod called me to say you were okay, though he told me to stay away from the clubhouse but I couldn’t. I needed to see with my own eyes you were okay. You’re okay, right?”
“I’m okay,” I tell her, and myself.
My eyes find Lochlan’s and he shuts his eyes and gives a slight nod as if to say ‘you are, baby.’ My heart overflows for this man.
“Can we talk?” I ask Doll.
“Sure, do you want to go to my house?” Doll questions.
I give her a grateful smile. “No, thanks. Here is fine by me.”
I don’t want to leave Lochlan, and though I was planning on having this conversation in private with Sophie, so much has changed in the last few hours. This has caused me to see things in a whole different perspective. Doll drags two chairs closer and pushes one toward me. I drag it near Lochlan while facing Doll.
“I was going to visit Sophie to talk things through about a job opportunity. But with everything that has happened the last few hours, I know for damn sure I don’t want to take opportunities that drag me across the country anymore. Maybe someday, not any time soon. Right now, I want the comfort of my bestie, my friends, my brother, Lochlan...my ol’man.” I risk glancing at Lochlan to see his reaction about what I just said. There’s nothing other than adoration radiating from his gaze.
I take a deep breath and continue. “I nee
d to visit Sophie’s sister, the funeral...funerals...everything is so,”
“Sweetheart,” Doll croaks. “You will. These are all things you need to let go for now. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, sad, even happy you have an ol’man or feel mixed about everything. Because your whole life has been rattled on its foundation. Of course you shouldn’t jump to a next job like you’ve always done, and I’m damn proud of you to make that choice for you. And you know I’ll always have your back, and so will Lochlan.”
“I know,” I whisper, and feel Lochlan’s hand on my knee, giving it a tiny squeeze. “For now, I’m torn by the loss of two friends...yet I’m surrounded by friends, new family and I’m thankful to be alive and just...feel. Even if I want to cry and don’t think things will be right for a while. Mainly because my mind keeps racing with the thought that maybe if I wouldn’t have gone over to see Sophie, she’d still be alive. And Gavin...oh, Gavin...”
“Fuck, no,” Lips snaps. “My ol’man said Bugsy had two traps set for you, and if you weren’t strapped to that cross, Sophie would have been because he wanted his father to pay for something he put in his shoes when the man was still a kid. Seriously, don’t throw a bucket of guilt on yourself. Deeds called me before you guys came here to make sure you wouldn’t. Speck Sr. confessed he killed his first wife by running her over with his car while his son was sitting next to him. Then he forced his son to take the blame, said it was an unfortunate accident, so he wouldn’t go to jail. Clear to say Bugsy never forgave his father and he wanted him to take the fall for murder. That’s why you were in their house, strapped into a trap that would have,”
“Enough,” Lochlan snaps. “She’s hurt and has been through enough.”
Lips and Lochlan share a look and I’m not sure I want to know what it’s about. Lips sighs and gives him a slight nod before telling him, “Glad my ol’man lent you a hand.”
“She wouldn’t be here with me if he didn’t,” Lochlan says with so much emotion lacing his face, it makes a sob rip from my throat.
Lochlan (Broken Deeds MC, #5) Page 13