Unruly Defender

by Schmidt, Esther E.

  I don’t want to drag her into my mess but she helped me out with Yates, this is the best answer I could give her with less information and yet enough to end it.

  “His uncle used to be in charge but handed it over to his brother when Clemente and his father moved back to the US. Clemente took over because his father had a heart attack the day my mother died. Clemente said he hasn’t been the same ever since. That’s the reason my brother took over. Gosh, it’s weird to say brother. I’ve known him for a while and we always got along great, though I haven’t seen him since my mother’s funeral and now all of a sudden he’s...family.” She puts down the spoon and fork and picks up her napkin to mindlessly twiddle with it.

  I reach out and cover her hand with mine. “I know what it’s like to have your world shake on its foundation. There’s no rush at all to get back on your feet after you’ve been knocked over, you know that, right? Take your time and you’ll find your strength to set things right again.”

  “Aren’t you Mr. Positive.” She snorts and then her face turns serious. “I’ve also told Clemente I won’t stop seeing you. Not that I’m seeing you, but...well, the two of you were having this heated discussion about you pulling me into the mess you’re wrapped in, and then you mentioning how Clemente is judging you and ignores the fact he’s the boss of—” She falls silent and whispers to herself, “The boss of what? That sentence was never finished because Clemente cut you off. Familia. Arranged marriage. His father took over as head of the Familia. Oh. My. God. Clemente is like...like...the mob? Is he a godfather or something? This can’t be happening. My ass landed into a bad movie. Okay, guys, you can come out with the cameras now. I know this insanity can’t be real. Oh, shit. This can’t be real, right? Tell me I’m imagining things, Eddie. I have a very vivid imagination that’s gone haywire. Come on, say something.”

  Fuck. Why did that asshole give her information and not mention anything about his family? “Clemente didn’t tell you anything?”

  “Would I be asking you this if he told me?” she hisses in anger.

  “Hey, don’t be angry at me,” I shoot back and shove my plate away from me as I grab a napkin to wipe my mouth.

  She takes her head in her hands and mutters, “We agreed to be friends, Eddie. Please, as my friend, tell me if I’m the half-sister of a mafia guy.”

  “Not just any mafia guy, Gracelynn.” I lean back and give it to her straight. “Clemente is head of the biggest mafia family and practically runs the underworld of California.”

  “Well, I guess if you’re going to do something, you’d better give it your all, right? Holy shit. Really? The head? The biggest? Great. Well, I already had the big name of wealth and high-class connected to my ass, I might as well add the underworld to it too, right? Shit. My life is such a mess.”

  “Eating spaghetti is a mess, darlin’,” I chuckle and reach out to wipe the corner of her mouth with my thumb. “From what my Ma told me, you’re a strong one who can handle everything.”

  Her eyes go down and a faint blush spreads over her cheeks. “Running the estate and cutting my father out of my life isn’t really a show of strength, Eddie.”

  “About your father,” I grumble. “And I really hate bringing it up, but I see no other way around it because not telling you feels wrong somehow.”

  “Well, don’t you think with the big news bang of hearing I have a half-brother, and with it my father wasn’t actually my father, is kinda hard to top? So, cut the whole ‘hate bringing it up’ and just get it out already. Wait. Is this about my father as in the biological one or the non-biological one? Shit. This is so frustrating.”

  “I’m talking about Spencer.”

  “Ah, the one who married my mother for money, the fake, asshole father, gotcha,” she grumbles.

  “When I mentioned your name to Yates he said I couldn’t trust you.”

  “What?” she gasps. “Are you kidding me? Not trust me? He doesn’t even know me. I should have punched him in the gut harder than I already did. What an ass.”

  She starts to curse and I hold up my hand to stop her. “Let me explain.” She huffs and it makes her even more adorable. “It was your last name that set him off. Yates found out that Rush has been having secret meetings with Spencer for quite some time now.”

  Shit. I shouldn’t have added that part. She doesn’t need to know every detail, and yet maybe she does. “If I tell you something it needs to stay between us, understood?”

  “Understood.” The fierceness in her voice is something I respect.

  “Rush wants to pull my MC into dealing drugs as a major money income. Drugs that need to be transported and he needs an investor, among other things, to set things in motion. A partner so to say.”

  “That’s bad. That’s very bad,” she muses. Her eyes suddenly narrow as they lock on mine. “This MC of yours, are you into shady business like Rush? I’ve seen movies, watched TV, and read books. Bikers aren’t all sweet and nice, and ride on the right side of the law. They dabble in weapons, prostitution, drugs, assassins, all that stuff that leads to a rap sheet for miles on end. Wait...why were you in prison?”

  “Are you judging a man who just got out of jail?” I can’t hide the smile she brings out of me as she’s sitting across from me with a determined look on her face to get to the bottom of this.

  “I’m not judging, Eddie. I’m trying to make sense of it all. You know. Me, a woman who thought her life was slightly dysfunctional with my parents not getting along, while there were clearly other things going on. Then there’s you, and your problems, and you suddenly mention drug deals, and Spencer having meetings because of it. Oh, and let’s add Clemente into it too. You know, my mafia boss brother. Ugh. And we’re back to you, walking out of prison and wanting your MC back.”

  “Like I said, I was set up. Rush betrayed me by forging papers about shit I didn’t do. Then I thought I could trust the club’s attorney but she was fucking Rush so they were working together. By the time I figured it all out I was in jail. And no, we don’t do any shady business like drugs or guns. I have several businesses and one of those is being a silent partner in a construction company that used to be my father’s but now belongs to my mother. It’s where most of my brothers work. So, you can say this MC works in construction. And before you comment with things that pop up in your head...no, we’ve never hidden a body in a foundation or covered one up with cement or plastered one behind a wall.”

  “You know that’s kinda disappointing when you put it like that. No excitement at all? You guys don’t do the whole gangs, trade guns, shootouts for turf thing? You make it sound less action movie and more like a boring documentary. Not that documentaries are boring. I like them. And I’m glad you keep those guys on a straight path. Though I have to say, the whole construction thing does offer opportunities for hiding a body...are you sure you guys never used the company to hide your enemies?”

  A chuckle escapes me and I shake my head at the way she’s clearly teasing me with her tone of voice and the twinkle in her eyes.

  “That wasn’t my father’s intention when he started the construction company. He did it to create a job opportunity for himself and a few guys he grew up with. He built a solid friendship with five others, that’s when they founded Unruly Defenders. For a place they could enjoy when they were done with work and with riding their bikes. To take a break from the workload and so on. It grew into something more, a brotherhood, a family. And I hate how Rush put an end to it. He not only stole my freedom but he ripped everything apart that my father built. My father’s death might have been classified as an accident, but I have my reasons to assume Rush is responsible for the death of my father. I’m fairly sure, but I can’t prove anything. And as if it wasn’t enough, he also killed his dream by taking Unruly Defenders MC from me and ripping it apart by being a dictator who only cares about himself.” My voice cracks due to all the emotion flowing through my veins.

  Gracy slides around the table to sit next to me
and leans her head on my shoulder. “You’re already making a change to turn it all around, Eddie. These things take time and if what you mentioned is true, then Rush has been planning everything for a long time and you have to be careful. You’ve only been out for a handful of days, and you’re just one man. Don’t carry the weight of all of this on your own shoulders. You have to trust others like how Rush is also reaching out to Spencer. Hey, was that why you had a meeting with Clemente?”

  Fuck it. I’ve shared too much anyway, and talking with her takes away some of my stress and helps me get things in order inside my head. “No, like I said, I thought I was meeting with his uncle, he was the one in charge when I went away years back. We have worked together in the past when my father was still alive. Clemente’s family practically run the underworld of California and have knowledge and contacts. I wanted information about Rush. Clemente warned me about him because Rush is making too many waves. He’s drawing attention from both the law and the underworld.”

  “That’s why Clemente doesn’t want me near you,” she muses.

  “Clemente wants you safe, and so do I.” I wrap my arm around her and pull her close. “But I’m afraid the both of us may want the impossible because you’re tied to all of it. Clemente, Spencer...” I place a swift kiss on the top of her head. “And to me.”

  Admitting that last part out loud is a necessity. With everything we talked about—throwing it out in the open—I’m not about to cut the one thing out of my life that feels right. The reminder of my cellmate, Chance, vivid in my thoughts how he spared the woman he cared about but ended up hurting the both of them in the end.

  They did manage to end up together after a long road to get there, but those years were hell for the both of them. And this also is a reminder. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. So why the hell should I fight it, or punish myself even more? I’ve done my sentence, it’s time to move forward and take what’s mine.

  CHAPTER SIX

  — GRACY —

  I wake slowly and instantly realize the pillow my head is resting on is in fact not so much a pillow but Eddie’s chest. Pushing myself up, I glance down and a slow smile spreads across my face as the memories of last night resurface.

  After dinner we talked some more and eventually took Finn for a walk and we ended up watching a movie in bed. The both of us are still dressed and I guess somewhere during the movie we fell asleep.

  I reach for Finn who’s sleeping near our feet and take him in my arms as I slide off the bed. Finn knows the routine. I need to find my shoes and coat before we head out for a walk. I grab my purse and decide to swing by the tiny place near the marina to get some coffee and breakfast to take back to the boat.

  Eddie is still sleeping when we get back, but as I place the coffee on the table and the bag with fresh pastries, his phone suddenly starts to ring, waking him up. He groans and grabs his phone.

  With a groggy voice he says, “Yeah?”

  Clearly, the person on the other end said something important because he flashes up and his eyes are wide open. “When?” Eddie scoots off the bed and rubs a hand over his face. “Then we’re going to speed things up. Two hours from now I’m walking into the clubhouse. Yes. Make sure everything is set. Good. See you there, brother.”

  Eddie stands and puts his phone away to free up his hands so he can rub his face. Finn dashes off to him and starts to claw with his one front paw at Eddie’s pants. He reaches down and scoops him up, earning him a facewash from Finn. The way that rugged man cradles his little dog in his arms makes me swoon.

  He bends down and places Finn back on the floor, who happily trots to his blanket to catch up on some sleep. “Something smells good. Did you go out for coffee?”

  “Uh huh, and fresh pastries. Did something go wrong? The phone call, did Yates have news?” I question as I grab plates and place the pastries on them.

  Eddie grabs a cinnamon bun and places a kiss on my temple. “Don’t worry about it,” he mutters and takes a bite.

  “I am, and I will. And after last night I kinda hoped you would be honest with me. And I know there are things you can’t tell me and aren’t my business, but you can’t expect me not to care about you.” I quickly grab my coffee and take a sip to stop myself from rambling.

  Eddie’s gaze is locked on me as he slowly eats his cinnamon bun.

  He reaches for his coffee and says, “Yates called to say Rush wants everyone in church this afternoon. There will be a vote. I need to prevent it from happening.”

  “He’s going to push this whole dealing in drugs thing through, isn’t he?” My heartbeat picks up. Not due to fear, but from anger. “You need to stop him. You mentioned last night how all eyes are on Unruly Defenders because of him. Dammit, what if he is doing this because he wants you to walk in there and claim your spot as the president? And then have the cops come in and you’ll be the one with the criminal record and right back where you were a few days ago.”

  Eddie stares at me with wide eyes and it makes me feel weird.

  “I’m overthinking things, right? Too farfetched? Sorry. My mind is running in different directions and I just want you safe and out of trouble.”

  “Not farfetched at all,” Eddie muses. “Why didn’t I think about this particular angle? Shit. Can I trust Yates? Is he in on all this?”

  “Wait. Hang on, and put a pin in it, Mister. Are you questioning your buddy’s loyalty again? That’s not my intention, Eddie. And really, you can’t flip a coin with trust and not trust a person. I get you’ve been betrayed, and Rush is a scumbag and all, but there are more loyal people out there than scumbags. And you’d better stay on the positive side of things. Your mother tells me you practically are Mister Positive, always have been. Hell, I’ve even called you that myself. So, don’t let that scumbag crush another part of you. Am I clear?”

  “You’re damn sexy when you get all angry and tell me what I can and can’t do,” he tells me with a wolfish grin on his face.

  “Yeah, well, you’re damn sexy every damn minute of the day,” I mutter and stuff my mouth full with a large bite of a cinnamon bun.

  We finish our coffee and I gather my things before the both of us leave the boat. Finn and I follow Eddie to his bike where it’s parked near my car. I put Finn in the car so I can give Eddie my full attention.

  He delicately strokes his fingertips along my hair and cups the back of my neck to pull me close. “If only we met a few years ago,” he whispers, more to himself than to me.

  “Time is irrelevant. And problems will always come and go. A life can be lost by tripping in your own home or taking one step outside. Does this mean you’re not supposed to live? That you should be too scared to take a risk and avoid doing things that feel good, or make you curious, or make you crave so badly your heart aches to connect with that single person? Except, you don’t want to take that step because the future is unsure, the consequences could take lives...and yet, by not doing it and playing it safe, you did in fact already kill everything beforehand. Your own life, your future, everything. Because you’re not living it. And I’m rambling. But it’s frustrating. You are frustrating.” My shoulders sag. “I know this whole situation is not on you or on me. I didn’t choose the insanity my life is wrapped in, and you didn’t choose to be betrayed. It happened to you, it happened to the both of us. Just...don’t let it define you.”

  I reach out and stand on my toes to connect my lips to his. I pull back and stare in his eyes to see the turmoil swirling in there. I pat his chest and turn to head for my car. Getting inside, I start the engine, making the radio automatically turn on. The tunes of Danny Vera’s song “Roller Coaster” fill the car.

  I love his tunes but this song and the timing is practically melodically shoving my nose into the fact of the turmoil of life. It takes everything inside me not to stop the car and rush back into his muscled arms. But instead I take one last glance at him through the rearview mirror as I head home.

  My whole mood is down
the drain when I park my car and head for the bungalow I share with Maggie. I’ve never had a guy influence my feelings how Eddie seems to be able to rock them. Good or bad. And I hate it even more that I don’t have a grip on myself.

  And why do I even care? I just met him a few days ago. Hell, we’ve only spent time together for a handful of hours spread out over two days. And I didn’t even see him for three days after the first time we met. Not to mention he was an ass that first day. Great, Gracy, just great. Now I’m fussing over wanting him while I have so many other things running havoc in my life.

  I stalk inside and Finn rushes to Maggie who is waiting for me. Suddenly I feel bad about not letting her know where I was last night. It’s not like I owe her an explanation but I know how she worries about me. And to be honest, I never spent a night somewhere else without telling her.

  “Sorry. I went out to the boat but didn’t intend to spend the night there.” I place my purse on the table and decide to grab a quick shower before I head for work.

  I’m about to head for my room but Maggie’s voice stops me. “Eddie called last night to let me know where you two were. And you don’t owe me an apology, sweetheart. You know that. Oh, and I will take over your shift this morning because I need for you to run a few errands for me.”

  “Sure, just let me grab a shower and a change of clothes and I’ll take care of it for you.” It’s not unusual for Maggie to rearrange my day but my gut tells me there’s more to it this time. “What do you need me to do?”

  “You go and get ready, I’ll make you a list.” She shoos me away and even if I think it’s weird, there’s a hot shower with my name on it screaming for me to take it.

  I head for my room and decide to take my time freshening up. Standing before my closet, it’s easy to make a choice what to wear. Mainly because I don’t have to be behind a desk today. Ripped blue jeans, a purple tank top, along with some black boots with a tiny heel. Most definitely a day for casual clothes.