He tugged off his helmet. “Disappointed?”
My top lip curled, then Nyx stepped into my line of sight looking, as per fucking usual, too handsome for the good of anyone with ovaries.
“You lied to me,” I snapped.
“No, you didn’t let me get a word in edgewise. You assumed because I had Steel’s phone that—”
“A solid assumption,” I barked.
“If you’d let me fucking finish,” he growled. “Then, and now, I’d have explained.”
“Go on then. Explain why you let me think our brother was fucking dead.”
He gritted his teeth. “He ain’t your brother.”
Wasn’t that the goddamn truth.
“I grew up in this place too, Nyx. I don’t have to have a prick to be a part of this fucked up family.”
That had him tilting his chin down in anger. “Family don’t leave family behind.”
Stung, my eyes flared wide. He’d hurt me. I was used to that. But hurting me only pissed me off and I snarled, “Some of us want to do shit with our lives. Rex is paying for my fucking education. What would you have me do? Waste my fucking calling as I spread my legs for the MC? Or have me do something I’m good at and learn how to be the best I can be?”
“Nyx?”
The voice sounded soft, but there was steel behind it.
He turned to look at the woman who’d just rounded the fender of the vehicle I’d only just registered. “Giulia, not—”
“Nyx, you take that back.”
I jerked in surprise at her tone then, when I studied her some more, I frowned. In my ear, Rex muttered, “She’s Lizzie Fontaine and Dog’s kid.”
My mouth rounded into an O as I processed that. She looked like Lizzie. Crazily so.
Apparently had her temper too.
“She’s Nyx’s Old Lady, babe.” Rex punctuated his quiet update with a grunt.
“She left us behind,” Nyx spouted stubbornly.
“What did she leave behind? She’s here now, isn’t she? You called her and she came. Immediately. Isn’t that what family does?”
Nyx’s mouth turned stubborn. “You don’t know every detail.”
“I’m sure I don’t, but if Stone’s good at what she does and wants to be more, then what’s wrong with that?”
“I like you,” I declared, uncaring that had most of the guys snickering around me. “You don’t let him get away with any shit and he needs that. They all fucking do.”
She tipped her chin to the side. “I didn’t remember you until I got out of the car. You always were fixing shit.”
“Always plenty to fix around this place.” I studied her, then muttered, “What the hell are you doing riding in a cage with these three bozos?”
Her lips twitched. “Got three women who need your help.”
“Why?” I frowned, trying to peer into the windows of the van. “What’s gone down with them?”
She blew out a breath and it didn’t escape me that Rex didn’t step up to try to explain shit, nor did any of the other brothers gathered around me. I knew them as well as I knew my own flesh and blood, but each of them granted Giulia a level of respect I didn’t understand.
Normally, that came with blood. The shedding thereof. Especially of an enemy. That she was Dog’s daughter and Nyx’s woman told me she wasn’t as soft as she appeared, but murder?
I didn’t think so.
“I was attacked at Daytona.”
Because nothing surprised me where the club was concerned, I merely concentrated on something I didn’t comprehend. “The racing place?” I questioned with a scowl.
“No. Our new bar,” Rex muttered, and when I turned to look at him, I saw he was leaning against the railing, arms folded across his chest as he glowered down at his boots.
“A customer tried to rape me but I—” She exhaled loudly, made fists with her hands, and punching the air at her sides, ground out, “Long story short, we found out this was a regular thing of his. At least, hurting women I mean. We learned he was holding some women captive and with him dead—”
“You killed him?” I squawked, stunned despite myself.
Her cheeks flushed, and she shot Nyx a welcome glance as he approached and came to stand at her side. The move was defensive, possessive, protective, and assertive. In fact, I wasn’t sure how Nyx managed to channel all four at once, but it was better than a burglar alarm. It declared to one and all, especially one—me—to back the fuck off.
“Yeah. Anyway, we’ve been hunting the women ever since. He’s dead.” She shrugged. “If he couldn’t care for them, then who could?”
My jaw worked for a second as I bit out, “You found them?”
“There were four. One was dead.” Link whistled, drawing my attention his way, and because he was perennially cheerful, the somberness in his eyes blew my fucking mind. “Never seen anything like it. Ever.”
“There a reason you didn’t take them to the ER?”
“They’re illegals. One of them begged us not to take them to a hospital.”
At her explanation, I reached up and pinched the bridge of my nose, then I squeezed it harder when Link stated, “He bought them. Bought them. Like they were fucking animals or something.”
I knew the MC was into many things, but trafficking humans had never been our bag. I was glad for that because, if they had, I’d have reported them to the cops. Family or not. And if that made me a treacherous bitch, then so be it.
The ER was where I wanted to center my future, and it was, in its own way, a front line. I was used to the trauma because of this life right here. A life where random fuckery happened every day, and you had to take it on the chin or be steamrolled over and flattened like a pancake.
“They were in cages,” Nyx said gruffly, his arm coming around to embrace Giulia, who bit her lip as she stared at me. “Living in their shit and piss. The dead girl…” He sucked in a breath. “She was in a cage, along with two of the others.”
If what he’d seen had the power to make Nyx turn green, I knew it was fucked up.
Fucked up enough that maybe even I wouldn’t be able to handle what was coming my way.
That steam roller I’d mentioned before?
Well, maybe it had turned into a freight train and I was already halfway under it.
Swallowing down my nerves, I knew I had to get a handle on things. Fast. “Let’s get them somewhere warm.”
“You’re going to help?”
I turned to Rex. “Was that ever in question?”
He’d believed in me, had funded my career from the very start. I owed him and the MC everything. But I wasn’t doing this for that.
Whether it was in an ER or in one of the bunkrooms on the compound, I was born for this. Born to heal.
I breathed in deeply and took a step toward the vehicle. As I moved, headed down to the drive, Steel grabbed my arm. He stared at me, forced me to look at him by not letting go of me, and when he knew he had my attention, insisted grimly, “It’s bad, Stone. There were rats.”
My jaw tensed. “We’re going to need gear. A lot of it.”
“Get me a list and I’ll get you what you need.”
That was from Rex.
“You got this?”
Steel’s question had me tipping my chin up in defiance. I stared at him, at that beautiful goddamn face, that gorgeous hair, lips I longed to kiss, eyes I wanted to stare into until the day I died, and instead of telling him I loved him, instead of telling him I missed him, I snarled, “When haven’t I been good at cleaning up the MC’s messes?”
His mouth tightened but he let me go, and that was exactly what I did and didn’t want.
Fuck.
Four
Lily
With a bored yawn, I leaned back into my seat, even going so far as to tip my head against the side of the armchair as I overlooked the situation.
Maybe it was cold of me not to give a fuck, but as Paul and Alix were raked over the coals by my father for gett
ing drunk on the job, I fought hard not to smirk.
“We’re only fortunate that my daughter is a good girl and that your dereliction of duty caused no harm in the long run.” Daddy dearest snarled, “But there’s no way I can allow you to continue with your position—”
I’d known that was coming, and even though I didn’t have much pull with my father who, whether I was a good girl or not, usually ignored me, I muttered, “As you said, Father, I know my place. There was no damage done and it was a one-time situation. We’re all reeling from Luke’s death. His loss has hit the entire household hard.”
My father froze at that, twisting around to pin me in place with his glare. He was a handsome man, as had been his son. They both shared the thick bronze hair that, even at fifty-six, hadn’t disappeared with the ravages of time. He was lined because he didn’t believe in Botox or plastic surgery—for himself, but his mistresses were all like blow-up dolls—but he was strong and slim, and his tailored clothes made him look a good ten years younger than his actual age.
His eyes…we shared them. A rich blue that was close to a glassy royal cerulean, and his mouth was mine too. Full and pouty—on me, it looked fine, but I’d seen pictures of him as a boy and his mouth had been effeminate. Time had thinned his lips out, but it didn’t age him, merely made him look sterner.
And stern was the way of it in the aftermath of Luke’s passing. To which he was insistent in finding a way to get the poor woman Luke had attacked, charged with murder. The lines at his brow, between his eyes, and bracketing his mouth were harder, and I knew he wasn’t sleeping well. His rampages could be heard from my end of the building, and I truly felt for his girlfriend, who had no choice but to deal with him in this mood.
For myself, I could escape. Penelope? Not so much.
And yeah, my father was that guy. He had a girlfriend, not a wife because he knew any sensible woman would marry him and divorce his ass the second she could and would sue for alimony that would keep her in luxury until the end of time. He was also in possession of a stable, yup, a stable of mistresses that he had on some kind of weird schedule. I’d even met a few, and they were way too good for my father.
But that was money for you.
It talked.
Those eyes we shared were narrowed on me. “Is this true, gentlemen? Are you so grievous of my son’s passing that you decided to make a toast in his honor?”
Paul and Alix were standing, awkward as hell, their hands crossed in front of their packages, in the middle of the office as my father cast judgment on them like King Solomon.
Surrounded by the opulence of this room, their cheap suits looked all the cheaper in contrast to the rich walnut paneling that lined the walls, the millions of dollars’ worth of art, and the expensive furniture my father had as a standard. This office had been replicated in each and every single one of his properties. Everything else could change, but this room could not.
I was tired of it. Tired because this was where he reprimanded us like a good patriarch did, and bored because I spent a lot of time here being slapped around for misdemeanors my father deemed grave enough to catch his attention.
At his question, however, Paul and Alix stopped shuffling around and straightened up. I knew they were going to take the life raft I’d offered them, and I crossed my legs, jaded with it all as they fell on the harpoon of my offering.
My father, being the egocentric, selfish asshole that he was, ate it up. I wouldn’t know until he made his final judgment if he was falling for it or not, but I had a feeling because I’d brought Luke into it, his golden boy, that things would be okay for my guards.
Sure, I didn’t like them. Sure, they were dicks. And nope, I didn’t mind getting them into shit, but it was a pain in the ass breaking in new security. The last thing I wanted was new staff who wouldn’t know me, wouldn’t know how I rolled.
“Luke’s death was a tragedy, sir,” Alix rasped, clearing his throat as he darted a look at his boss.
“That it was.” My father’s mouth tightened as he rubbed his chin. “I never expected the staff to take his passing so hard, but I should have realized how he touched everyone around him.”
Ha.
Touched being the operative word. Not one of the maids had been safe from Luke. Not a single one, and there hadn’t been a damn thing I could do to rectify that.
No one was crying over my scum-sucking brother’s passing, no one except for my scum-sucking father.
Said scum-sucker snapped his fingers. “Just this once, in Luke’s memory, I’ll let this slide, but my daughter’s security is more imperative than ever. Luke was a young man, and I’ll admit to being lax with him because he needed to sow his oats. But look where that laxness got him. And me,” he tacked on grimly, his mouth turning down at the corners. “You’re on a probation of sorts, and I’ll be monitoring you. You may leave.”
Paul muttered, “Thank you, sir.”
Alix flashed me a grateful look, but he parroted his colleague, before they both turned on their heel and went to leave the office.
I didn’t hold my breath, not until they’d made their exit, because my father liked to toy with people too. Only when they’d departed in earnest did I accept that Donavan Lancaster had accepted my bullshit.
With the door clicking to a close, I turned to face him and saw he was studying me. “Luke’s death has affected you greatly, child.”
I didn’t tense up even though I wanted to—fuck, the need to burst out laughing was a desperate one. “Of course, it has. The house isn’t the same without him in it.” Without his poison lacing the air.
Father sighed and rocked back in his desk chair. The plush cream leather surrounded by a gleaming walnut cosseted him as he comforted himself. “That’s true. We’ll make her pay, Lily. Don’t worry about that.”
My stomach began to churn at his words because when my father wanted something, it wasn’t often he didn’t get it. If anyone didn't deserve ‘justice,’ it was Luke. Giulia Fontaine should get a Noble Peace Prize for slaying that monster. He made demons look friendly, for fuck’s sake. In fact, if given the choice to be locked in a room with a demon or Luke, I’d take Satan’s minion every damn time because that was how evil my brother was.
“I know you have everything in hand, Father,” I told him softly, not by one word or change of expression revealing my utter hatred of him or my brother.
His eyes sparkled at that. “Such faith.”
“Your will is indomitable,” I told him, lacing the words with praise when all I truly felt was revulsion.
“That it is.” He rubbed his chin as he looked at me, his gaze skating over today’s spectacular makeup job. Then he stunned the life out of me. “I’m sorry I took my grief out on you yesterday.”
Not once, not a single time in twenty-two years had he ever apologized.
For a second, I could do no more than gape at him. So accustomed to controlling my expression, to showing him only so much, I was at a loss until he started to scowl, evidently pissed that I wasn’t rushing to accept his apology.
Quickly, I cleared my throat. “It’s my fault, Father. I shouldn’t have pushed you as I did.”
He sighed. “No, child, you shouldn’t have. I shall endeavor to control my temper more. Luke’s passing is a tragedy we’re all feeling. I must remember that, as I lost a son, you lost your brother.”
“I miss him,” I lied, my tone gentle enough to have Donavan swallowing thickly as he ate up my bullshit.
“I do too.”
Was it too soon? Did I dare to tread where angels would have feared?
Carefully, I whispered, “How are you going to make her pay, Father? How will you get justice for Luke?”
Donavan’s eyes flashed with anger, but I sensed that it was aimed at Luke’s killer and not me. And trust me, I knew when all that potent rage was aimed my way. I’d dealt with it for years and would deal with it until the time was right.
Until my name was in his will. With Luke’s
death, I had to think that would be soon.
“You needn’t worry—”
“I’m not worrying, Father. I wish to help if I can.” Help fuck things up. “My influence in town has more reach than yours. Especially in society. What can I do?”
My father rocked forward, and I saw the gleam in his eyes, a gleam that was close to arousal. I knew what that looked like too. God help me.
“She’s being protected by that scum-sucking MC,” —Funny how he used the same word I had to describe him and Luke for the MC— “so that’s where I’m centering my attention. When I take them down, she’ll be defenseless.”
“How do you intend on doing that?”
“Pulling in markers with the mayor. Making sure the right pockets are full with my cash rather than theirs. That mini-mall of theirs has to be laundering money from their ill-gotten gains.” He’d know. He had more illegal gains than anyone on this planet. “Investigations into their management leads me to believe they have links to the Five Points in Hell’s Kitchen. I’m just not sure how. The sheriff is surprisingly deaf to my attempts to twist his arm for more information—”
I tipped my head to the side. “I know Joseph from the Country Club. I could speak with him. Tell him how much his aid in this matter would be useful.”
He started to shake his head, then I smiled at him, schooling my features into one of entreaty. He liked when I pleaded. So I did. I pleaded with him to let me help him take down an innocent woman. And as he studied me, he stopped shaking his head and said, “You’d like to help?”
“Avenge my brother’s death? Absolutely!” I told him, my tone strident.
His gaze turned thoughtful. “You’re my only remaining child, Lily. You have to know what that means.”
I looked him straight in the eye. “That I need to make you proud of me?”
Whatever he’d anticipated hearing from me, it wasn’t that. I knew because he straightened in his seat and stated, “Indeed, I must learn to control my temper.”
“And I must learn not to irritate you.”
He liked that.
His smile revealed those shark-like teeth of his.
Link: SATAN’S SINNERS’ MC: TWO Page 6