by E. C. Land
Drawing back from my rifle scope, I take a deep breath. I’m going to have to change my plans for tonight. Chains had wanted to have a family dinner, but I can’t leave this girl here. He’ll understand when I get back to the clubhouse.
Pulling out my phone, I text Shadow. He’d become useful since being here. I’d learned really quick just how he came across his name— he can blend wherever needed.
Me: Gonna need you to watch for any other cars coming up the road.
Shadow: I saw the girl.
Me: I’m not leaving her here. Plans have changed.
Shadow: Figured as much.
Me: Good I’ll shoot you a text when I’m ready for pick up.
Shadow: You have two hours after that I’m coming after you.
Me: I don’t need two hours.
Turning my phone off, I store my rifle in its case and head for the backside of the garage. Grabbing hold of the secured rope and tossing the gun case over my shoulder before slowly descending down the wall. Soon as I reach the bottom, I release the rope and dart for the side of the house sticking to the shadows.
I already know they haven’t changed the code on the house, so I make my way toward the kitchen. Pulling out my picking tool I unlock the door. I open the door enough for me to slide through and put in the code before it can make a noise. I feared my bump would have made all this more difficult, but it hasn’t.
Touching my stomach, I run my hand over my son for a brief moment as I listen to the silence of the house.
On silent feet I make my way toward the front of the house. The closer I get I can hear my mother speaking quietly. Putting my back to the wall I tilt my head to hear what she’s saying.
“I know Victoria took all that money and got rid of it. It’s why Parker and I found a girl who looks similar to the bitch. She can get the money back.”
I grind my teeth as I wait to see if she says anything else.
“Yes dear, I know but you want to win this election coming up and Parker needs you too. Our business depends on you winning. God forbid that Pierre asshole gets in office he’ll have all our heads. Besides this is just a small part of the plan sweetheart. Parker found the little cunt. His man shot the guy Victoria has been seeing. Soon as she’s back they’ll marry, have a child and then Parker will kill her.” I knew she was heartless but she’s going to deserve every bit I have planned for her.
But I don’t have time for that right now. I need to find the girl and get out of here. I’ll take care of her another day.
Peeking around the room I make sure my mother is alone. Not seeing the girl I back away. Hearing the bitch go on about how they were going to off me, I’m more than tempted to take her out now.
Now’s not the time.
On silent feet I move through the house finding the girl in my old bedroom. As I open the door her eyes widen at the sight of me. I put my finger to my lips to tell her to be quiet. I slowly approach her not wanting to scare her.
“I’m going to get you out of here and take you somewhere safe,” I whisper as I squat down to face her.
“How are you going to be able to help me? They said they’d kill me if I tried to leave,” she says.
“Don’t worry about that. Come with me and I promise you they won’t touch you,” I murmur as I hold out my hand for her to take.
“I don’t know,” she says, shrinking further into herself.
Sighing, I pull my hand back, “What’s your name?” I ask.
“Luna,” she whispers.
“Well Luna if you don’t come with me now regardless of what they told you they’re still going to kill you. With me I can get you to safety and away from this nightmare,” I state as I stand to my feet. “Now’s your chance to choose.”
Luna seems to weigh her options as she holds my gaze. I can tell under the pain and hurt she’s feeling right now there’s a fighter in her. Nodding Luna struggles to her feet.
“Good girl. Now this is what I’m going to need you to do. We’re goin’ to walk out of here, but you have to stay silent and follow my every move. You do everything I tell you to, got it?” I murmur as I take her hand and pull her to the bedroom door.
When the door wouldn’t budge, I realize they changed this room into an actual prison for me, that is if they ever got me back in here.
Fuck. How could I be stupid?
But that’s okay I know another way. They’re not that smart to think to secure the window. There’s a lattice that runs up the side of the house enforced with steel beams to keep it from falling under the weight of the vines that grow up it.
Making my way to the window I find they have nails driven in to keep the window from sliding up. Shaking my head, I pull my rifle case from over my shoulder and open it.
Glancing over my shoulder I notice Luna staring at me in horror. “Back up some okay,” I order her softly.
Picking up my rifle I secure the silencer in place, aiming for the window I pull the trigger. The bullet leaves a small little hole. I can work with this to break the rest of the window without making a lot of noise.
Working as quickly as I can I remove the glass from the window frame and help Luna through the hole. Making sure she doesn’t cut herself I explain to her what to do as she climbs down the vines.
Replacing my gun back in the case I put the strap back over my shoulder and follow her out the window cautious not to scratch my stomach.
Soon as I make it to the bottom, I grab Luna’s hand and dart toward the tree line that would lead me to where Shadow’s waiting. It doesn’t take us as long as I thought it would to get to him. Even in the beaten shape Luna’s in she was able to keep up.
“About damn time you had five more minutes before I was coming after your ass,” Shadow mutters as he helps me get Luna in the car before getting in the driver’s seat.
Following suit, I take the gun case off my shoulder, toss it in the trunk, and get in on the passenger side.
Putting my head back against the headrest, I sigh in exhaustion and close my eyes as Shadow drives.
Thirty minutes later Shadow nudges my shoulder. “Vi come on we’re here,” he says.
“Good,” I mutter before getting out. Stretching I wait for Luna to get out so she can walk in with me.
“Are you sure it’s safe for me here?” she asks apprehensively.
“Yea sweetie you’ll be safe here. No one will hurt you. See that big guy right there,” I say pointing at Shadow who’s standing near the door waiting for us.
“Yes,” she says quietly.
“His name’s Shadow and he’s become one of my best friends. He won’t let anything happen to you, I promise,” I declare.
“Okay,” she murmurs.
As we get to the door, Shadow opens it and lets us walk in ahead of him. I automatically stop at the sight in front of me.
Tears form in my eyes as I take him in.
Tracker.
“You have some explaining to do, Sweetness,” he says and just like that all my emotions come rushing through me.
He’s alive and here with me.
24
Tracker
At first sight of my woman since I woke up, I knew she was still herself. She was just hiding behind the person she needed to be to survive.
As pissed as I want to be with her for doing all she’s been doing, I can’t hold it against her. And in all honesty, it makes sense and answers a lot of questions about the way she’s acted in the past. Such as how she was able to evade me for a month without me finding her.
Sure, I found her easily after looking her up using my last name, but who thinks of shit like that?
When we’d gotten to Inferno’s Clutch MC, I’d been pissed as fuck and ready to rip into Victoria. I’d wanted to yell at her for not only putting her life in jeopardy but our son’s as well. However, after Chains pulled me aside, he explained how special his sister really is. I might not like the fuck for peddling people, but I could respect him for loving my woman.
We’d just come out of Chains’ office when the door opened and there my woman stood with her arms wrapped around another woman who looked damn near like her twin.
“You have some explaining to do, Sweetness,” I state the moment she notices me standing there.
Shadow immediately takes the woman out of Vi’s care and my woman is running across the room toward me. Chains puts his arm out to stop her from reaching me.
“Easy, baby girl. Remember, he was just shot,” he says gently to her.
“How could I forget?” she cries as she walks the rest of the way to me. Holding my arms open, I wait for Victoria to make it the rest of the way to me before wrapping them around her. Inhaling I can finally breath as I kiss my woman.
“I fuckin’ missed you, woman,” I murmur, pressing another kiss to the side of her head before releasing her.
“I missed you too. Why are you here? When did you wake up? Raven was supposed to tell me the moment you did,” she rambles, turning her head to find Raven shrugging at her.
“I texted Chains. He knew. And he told me to bring the cranky ass to you. By the way, bitch, you owe me for having to put up with Conan over here,” she mutters, pointing at Blaze.
“Woman, I swear to fuck, you call me Conan again, I’ll turn your ass red,” Blaze sneers.
“Oh, shit, this should get interesting,” Breaker, one of the guys I’d been introduced to, chuckles.
“Not now, Breaker,” Chains says calmly before turning his attention to Raven. “Pit is out back.”
“And,” she says, putting her hands on her hips.
“And nothing. Go see your damn brother, woman. Fury is on his way,” he says, dismissing her.
With a huff, Raven leaves, slamming the doors behind her.
“Is she always like that,” Blaze mutters.
“Dude, Raven is always like that. There’s never a dull moment when she’s around,” Breaker chuckles.
“Well, if you all don’t mind, I need to crash,” I grumble as the pain meds Doctor Alverez had given me before the flight started to wear off.
“Come on, you can stay in my room with me,” Vi murmurs.
“Wasn’t plannin’ on stayin’ in any other room,” I say.
“Oh yeah?” She gives me a small smile.
“Yeah, Sweetness. You know, I’m still gonna spank the shit out of you for this stunt,” I grin.
“Fucker, that’s my little sister. Don’t say shit like that in front of me,” Chains grumbles.
“Pot meet kettle. You’re the one that was about to get his dick sucked when I got here,” Vi says sarcastically.
“Whatever. Take Tracker here and go rest. Maybe now you’ll sleep well,” he mutters, and I furrow my brows as I glance down at my woman in my arms.
“You haven’t been sleeping?” Vi glances away at my question.
“I couldn’t,” she whispers as she grabs my hand and starts down a hall where all the club members’ rooms are. As soon as we get to the last one, Victoria pulls a key out and unlocks the door.
Stepping into the room, I make sure the door is locked before looking around her room here. Everything in the room seems like her, but at the same time, it doesn’t. This is a side of her I’ve been denied and it pisses me the hell off. I fuckin’ love this woman and yet I don’t know who the hell she really is.
More than anything, she’s lied to me.
“James,” she murmurs as she turns to face me, sadness showing in her eyes.
Putting my hand up, I stop her from saying anything just yet. I shake my head and walk toward her bed. I need to lay down before I collapse. Removing my cut, I put it on the back of a chair as I pass it. My shirt is the next to go and, fuck, it takes everything in me to get it off. I sit on the edge of the bed and bend to take my boots off, but Vi stops me.
“Let me, please,” she says as she kneels on the floor. Lifting one foot, she takes one boot off before doing the same to the other foot. Once they’re off my feet, she slides her hands up my legs to my stomach and she gently pushes until I lay back. Unbuckling my belt, she unbuttons my pants and slides the zipper down. I lift my hips enough for her to pull them down.
Neither of us says anything as she strips my pants from my body. Nor do I say anything when she doesn’t move from kneeling in front of me, preferring to stare at the ceiling.
“I didn’t want to have to be this person again,” she finally says so softly I’m not quite sure I heard her right.
“The day I escaped with Raven I knew what I was giving up. It was either leave and have a chance at a life or succumb to being a prisoner, and potentially die at the hands of those who were money hungry. I couldn’t do it. So I ran and in doing so I let Raven and her dad, Fury, teach me how to be the person I’ve become when I shut down. My brother, Chains, he was pissed when he first learned Fury taught me to be what I am. Then he found out how good I am and for the first time, I felt I was doing something. On my days off from Dolly’s Playhouse, I handled jobs when I felt one was worth my shutting down.” Victoria stops talking and I sit up to stare down at her taking in the vulnerability in her eyes.
“When you were shot, I couldn’t deal. Blaze called Raven thinking she could console me not knowing what Raven would do. Sh-she knew the only way I’d calm down was to shut it all down, and that’s what I did when she told me to. I sat there in the hospital, my mind racing. I knew who caused this and all I could see was your blood all over me. It was then I decided to end this once and for all,’ she says tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Vi . . .” I murmur.
“No, James, don’t you get it? If not for me, you wouldn’t have been shot. I heard her tonight admit it too. I wasn’t the target they were after. They won’t stop until they get to me. All they want is money and power. All of which I can give. It’s why they had Luna to impersonate me. To attempt to get what they want in a way to draw me out. Bad things happen to everyone around me. Don’t you get it. I need to end this, so I know without a doubt you’ll be safe. As well as everyone else. Because if something happens to one of you, I couldn’t handle it.”
Leaning forward I grab her arms and pull her up into my arms. “Come here Vi,” I say as I do my best not to cause more pain to my body.
I pull her up onto the bed and lay down with her in my arms as I let what she’s said soak in. Vi never wanted to do this again and yet she did it for me. Chains had said she hadn’t shut down in well over six months. Pretty much she hasn’t become Silent Night since we started. She’d finally been happy and wanted to give it all up. But because of them shooting me she blames herself.
Fuckin’ hell.
“It’s gonna be okay, Sweetness,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. “I’ll make sure they don’t hurt anyone ever again. That I promise you. Your soul will never be darkened by their deaths. Remember, I own your heart, Vi, just as you own mine. I fought death to get back to you, now I’ll fight to keep your soul from darkening. We do this together,” I say, meaning every word.
25
Victoria
“I fought death to get back to you, now I’ll fight to keep your soul from darkening. We do this together.” Tracker's words last night play on repeat as I wake up. I cried myself to sleep last night in his arms and slept longer than I have since before he’d been shot.
Lifting my head up off his shoulder I take in how peaceful he looks before lowering my gaze to the bandage covering the spot he’d been shot. Placing a kiss to his shoulder I trail kisses along his body being careful to avoid the bandage. I know he can’t do anything with me right now, but I need to feel a connection to him again.
Lowering the covers, I slide further down until I’m eye level with his dick. I wrap one of my hands around his thickness and I look up to Tracker’s face as he groans. Finding his eyes closed I know he’s awake, but he’s allowing me to have this moment.
Turning my attention back to what I’m d
oing, I begin to slowly stroke him as I lean forward to take him in my mouth. I’ve always loved sucking on him every chance I had and now is no different as I bob my head up and down his thickness. Tracker groans encouraging me to take him deeper.
“Fuck, Sweetness, don’t torture me and suck my cock all the way,” Tracker groans huskily, his hand tangling in my hair as he begins to guide me to do what he wants me to. “Take me down your throat baby,” he orders.
I do as he commands knowing how much he loves it when I do this to him. Taking him as far as I can I repeat this until I feel he’s about to come. Pulling back to twirl my tongue around the head before sliding him all the way back down my throat and his dick twitches as he comes. Tracker’s hand holding me in place, I take everything he gives me.
As his grip in my hair loosens, I lift my head to look up at him.
“Sweetness, that was one hell of a wake-up call,” he grins down at me.
“How are you feeling?” I ask.
“Much fuckin’ better now that I’ve had your mouth wrapped around my cock,” he murmurs as he motions for me to slide back up.
Doing so I lay my head back on his shoulder as Tracker holds me to him. He uses his other hand to rub my stomach.
“We still have a lot to talk about, baby,” he says softly.
“I know we do,” I rasp.
“I meant what I said last night Vi. We do this together. You’ve done a lot of the work so far. Let us do the rest. I promise you they will not get off easily. I will make them all suffer,” he declares.
“How is that us doing this together?” I ask, his plan not seeming fair to me. I am who I am, and I want to be as much a part of ending this as I am in anything.
“Sweetness, you’ve already done the surveillance and know everything we’re gonna need to know to get this shit done. Hear me out, Victoria, before you go getting pissed with me,” he states giving me a squeeze. “You tell all of us everything there is to know about getting to both your parents and Parker. We get them and bring them here. From there you can determine whether or not you want to be a part of their deaths. In my opinion, I’d prefer you not be.”