by Harley Wylde
“What’s that mean?” I asked.
Teller grinned. “It means we know everything about Mr. Sanchez, as well as your dad and every man he brought with him. None of them are leaving the country -- well, not all of them, anyway. A few pieces will be sent back as a warning to anyone else in your father’s cartel. No one will fuck with you after this.”
“How?” My brow furrowed as I stared at the folder. “Surge?”
He nodded. “Yep, Surge. Wire, Shade, Outlaw, and Shield.”
“Who are the others you mentioned?” I asked.
“Hackers with the other clubs. Wire is with Dixie Reapers, Shade is part of Devil’s Boneyard, Outlaw is with Devil’s Fury, and Shield is a Reckless King.” Teller reached over and patted my hand. “Don’t worry, Luciana. They know what they’re doing.”
Spider walked forward to meet with my father, reaching out to shake his hand. I noticed several other men standing alongside of him, each with a cut from one of the clubs Teller had just mentioned. Were those the other presidents? If they were, I didn’t understand what it meant for all of them to be here. Another figure approached and I stifled my gasp when I recognized Casper VanHorne, the man I’d thought was working with my dad until Spider had told me otherwise.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, but I watched in horror as Pedro pulled a gun and fired it at one of the presidents. After that, everyone was shooting at someone. With more bikers than Colombians, it didn’t take long for Spider and the others to get the upper hand. Or so I’d thought. Ricardo smiled, blood smeared across his teeth, and said something to the men. A man from Devil’s Boneyard and Devil’s Fury both froze and shared a look.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“No clue, and I’m not leaving you here alone in order to go find out.”
“I wasn’t even needed. I haven’t left the car.”
Teller smiled. “Your father’s men looked this way a few times so they knew you were present. Probably thought you’d walk out to them all docile and shit. I don’t think any of them planned to get shot today.”
“Roll down the window or something. I want to know what’s going on.”
Teller gave me a pointed look then cracked the window a tiny bit, but it was enough to hear since we were so close.
“You had someone take my wife?” the Devil’s Boneyard man asked before bursting out into laughter.
“You’re so fucked,” said the guy from Devil’s Fury.
“What’s going on?” I asked Teller.
He snickered. “Your father’s men took Jordan. She’s the wife of the Sergeant at Arms for Devil’s Boneyard, and she’s batshit fucking crazy. Marched her pregnant ass to Colombia to save her man from what I hear. I think they bit off more than they can chew this time.”
“We’ll get Jordan back, and if she leaves any of your men alive, we’ll take care of them,” said an older man from Devil’s Boneyard.
“That’s Cinder.” Teller pointed to the man. “He’s their President.”
“Wait. Something isn’t right.” I squinted to try and see on the other side of my father’s jet. I sucked in a breath and my eyes widened in horror when I realized what was about to happen. “We’re all going to die.”
Teller jerked his head my way. “What?”
I pointed, my hand trembling.
A dark figure moved closer to the group, something propped on his shoulder.
“Holy shit! Is that a grenade launcher?” Teller scrambled for the handle on the SUV door, throwing it open. “Everyone run!”
Spider spun our way, saw my frantic look, and rotated back toward the Colombians. He must have seen the man approaching because he turned and started running toward me. Teller slammed his door shut and threw the SUV into gear. I screamed for him to wait as Spider drew closer. My husband was mere feet away when Teller had the tires squealing on the SUV and rocketed through the parking lot, away from the man I loved and everyone who had tried to save me.
I sobbed and fought the seatbelt in an effort to turn and see what was happening. An explosion made my ears ring, but Teller just seemed to go faster. He left the airstrip but I couldn’t see through the tears to be able to tell where we were going. I just knew we were leaving Spider, and I had no idea if he was alive or not.
Another explosion sounded and I cried harder. Teller whipped the SUV out into traffic and floored it. In a matter of minutes, we were on the interstate and seemed to be heading south. Teller grabbed his phone and quickly dialed someone.
“Rocket, get Violeta the hell out of there. I’m taking Luciana to the Dixie Reapers.” He paused. “I don’t know. They could all be dead right now.”
I moaned and frantically motioned for Teller to pull over. The SUV came to a jerking halt on the shoulder of the road, just in time for me to open the door and throw up. I heaved until nothing was left in my stomach, then shut the door. Teller grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze before he started driving again.
“I’m sorry, Luciana. I have to believe that Spider made it out of there, but I knew he’d prefer that I get you to safety. That was my number one mission. Protect you at all costs.”
“What’s the point of living if he’s gone?” I asked.
“Don’t think like that. I’m going to call ahead and let the Reapers know what’s going on, make sure they have a place for you to stay, and then maybe we can find out what’s happening. See if there are survivors.”
“Why would he do that?” I asked, thinking of the man I’d seen. “If he was with my father, didn’t he risk killing him as well? And all my father’s men?”
“Maybe your father thought it was worth the risk. Or maybe the guy wasn’t with your dad at all and we’re dealing with a completely unknown person. Just try to rest, Luciana. I’m going to get you somewhere safe, then we’ll deal with what’s happened.”
I nodded and shut my eyes, but all I could see was Spider reaching for the SUV before Teller had taken off, leaving him behind.
I didn’t know how long we were on the road, but we eventually pulled into a compound that looked different from the Hades Abyss’ and yet a little similar. The guy at the gate had waved us through, and I wondered if their security wasn’t that stringent or if they had recognized Teller or the vehicle. The club seemed to have a clubhouse and homes, but I also saw what looked like a playground, a pool, and other family friendly things as we drove down a winding road. Teller came to a stop in front of a cute home, and the door swung open to reveal a blond man with a stern expression on his face. There was an adorable little girl wrapped around his leg.
“Who’s that?” I asked.
“Saint. Your sister has been living with him. And that’s his daughter Delia.”
I got out of the car and stretched before slowly approaching the house. The guy didn’t so much as smile, but his daughter was adorable as she grinned at me.
“I’m Luciana Storme,” I said.
Saint nodded. “Your sister is inside. You’ll stay here while someone prepares a place for you. Shouldn’t take long.”
“Thank you.”
He stepped aside, not seeming to even notice his daughter clung to his calf like a monkey. I moved past him into the house and saw Sofia. She looked good, if a bit scared. When her gaze locked on mine, she rushed toward me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
“They won’t stop,” she said. “We’ll never be safe.”
“We’re not going back, Sofia. Never.”
She nodded but didn’t seem to believe me. I wasn’t entirely sure I believed myself either. I sat with her on the couch and tried to listen to Teller and Saint, but they were speaking too softly. I needed to know if Spider was all right. My stomach clenched at the thought of never seeing him again.
“I miss you and Violeta,” Sofia said.
“We miss you too. They’re treating you well here, aren’t they?” I asked. Just because Spider had said Saint was a decent guy, didn’t mean it was true. Even if the guy did have a cute
kid, I knew from experience monsters came in all shapes and sizes.
Sofia cast a glance toward Saint and her cheeks flushed a little. “I’m good. I don’t think he likes me, though.”
“And the little girl?” I asked, knowing how much my sister adored kids.
“She’s great. Delia is so much fun, and so sweet. We get along fine. She’s four, but she’s so smart. I think she’s ahead of the other kids her age.”
Hmm. That sounded like a little too much pride for a kid that wasn’t hers. I looked at Saint and his daughter again, and I noticed the girl was staring at Sofia with a worshipful gaze. Seemed my sister wasn’t the only one invested in the relationship between them. Too bad the little girl’s daddy seemed like an ass. Would it kill him to smile?
Teller came over, his hands shoved in his pockets. “So, I’m going to stay with you at another house. Rocket will be staying there too with Violeta. Saint said Sofia was welcome to go with us.”
Sofia looked heartbroken as she glanced toward Saint again. I could tell my sister felt something for the biker, but I didn’t understand why. He didn’t seem all that great to me, but then I’d only been in his house less than a half hour. Maybe he had hidden depths. Like way down deep type of hidden.
“Delia doesn’t want her to go,” Teller said.
Sofia’s eyes lit up. “She wants me here?”
He nodded. “I told Saint it would be best for you to stay since you’re already set up here. I mean, this isn’t my club and even if it were, he outranks me, so… If he says you have to go, then you’ll have to go.”
Sofia sighed and slowly stood. She walked over to Delia, who still clung to her daddy’s leg, and knelt down.
“Delia, my sister is here and my other sister is coming too. I think it’s best if I go with them for now, but I’ll still be close by.”
“She doesn’t need you,” Saint said.
I shot to my feet, but Teller stilled me with a hand on my arm. I didn’t like it, but he was right. While I wanted to defend my sister, this wasn’t our home. If I didn’t tread carefully, they could ask us to leave. All of us, and then we’d be out in the open.
When Sofia faced us again, I could see the tears in her eyes, and I decided I didn’t like Saint very much. Anyone who made Sofia cry couldn’t be all that wonderful. I wrapped my arms around my sister when she was within reach and glared at the man across the room. He tipped his chin up and stared me down, but I wasn’t going to flinch. In the past I would have, but I was Spider’s wife now.
I glanced at Saint’s cut and noticed it didn’t have a title, which meant he was a member but not an officer. I didn’t think I outranked him since I was just a woman, but I knew my husband did. That had to count for something, didn’t it? I looked at Teller but he gave a shake of his head and I tried to shove down my annoyance.
“Come on, Sofia. We’ll find somewhere else to go until the house is ready for us. And Saint can have your belongings packed.” I glared at the man and saw a slight smirk on his lips. “You’ve been through enough without remaining in a hostile home environment.”
That smirk slipped right off his face and he actually looked ashamed for a moment. He glanced down at his daughter and his gaze hardened again. And that is what made me understand a little better exactly what was happening. It wasn’t that he didn’t like my sister, it was that he was worried about his daughter. The fact he was so protective of her made me soften toward him.
“Spider chose well,” Saint said. “I’m sure you’re the perfect wife for the President of Hades Abyss. Ryker didn’t have too many nice things to say about you, but don’t worry. He’ll come around.”
I glanced from him to Sofia and back again. “The question is whether or not you’ll come around. Don’t let fear hold you back.”
He smiled faintly and lifted his daughter into his arms. “If things were different… but they aren’t. I’m not a bad guy, Luciana. But I will die before I let any darkness touch my daughter, and you and your sisters have trouble written all over you. It follows you, stalks you from the shadows, and I don’t think it’s backing down.”
He was right about that. I led Sofia outside and we got into the SUV. As Teller pulled back around to the front gate, I saw another car enter and smiled when I saw Rocket and Violeta in the front seats. Violeta was still bruised but didn’t seem to be in a great deal of pain. Her lip was split and she had a blackened eye. If she had more serious injuries, I couldn’t tell from here.
I pointed our sister out to Sofia and she gave me a true smile for the first time since I’d seen her today. I didn’t know what the future would bring, but I knew that as long as we had each other, and I had the sweet babies growing inside me, then we would be okay. If Spider was gone, my sisters would help me deal with the pain, and my children would give me incentive to keep going, but I still held out hope that he was fine.
“Come back to me,” I murmured and toyed with the band on my finger. I’d finally told him I loved him, and now he was gone. My heart felt like it might break, but I was going to assume that no news was good news. As far as I knew, no one had called Teller to say all the men were dead. I would hold onto to any small amount of hope I could grasp.
“Spider’s tough,” Teller said, catching my gaze and holding it. “Nothing will stop him from coming for you. Not even hell. He loves you, Luciana, more than I think he’s ever loved anyone. That’s far more powerful than anything on this earth.”
“Even a grenade launcher?” I asked.
“He’s going to be fine, and he’s going to ride through those gates. You’ll be together again.”
I nodded, knowing he was trying to comfort me, but maybe he really believed what he was saying. He knew Spider well, and if he thought my husband was all right, then I’d have to believe that too. I might be able to go on without him, raise the babies on my own, but I didn’t want to. Life held no meaning without him by my side.
We got out of the SUV in front of a pretty blue house and Violeta ran to us, hugging both me and Sofia. Rocket watched us in amusement, a smile gracing his lips. He looked worried, shadows under his eyes and a tenseness to his body that normally wasn’t there, but he’d kept my sister safe and I could never thank him enough.
“All right, ladies. Go find your rooms,” Rocket said. “The Dixie Reaper women are gathering some things you might need. Except you, Sofia, since your things are already here.”
“Thank you,” I said, holding Violeta a little tighter.
“She’s not getting taken on my watch,” Rocket said.
The way he looked at Violeta I knew that he meant it. She might be young, but there was a possessiveness to his gaze. Spider was right. When Violeta was old enough, Rocket would likely make his move and claim her. I was glad she had someone like him. The little interaction I’d had with him, he’d always seemed like a good guy. Laid-back, funny, and protective. Just the type of man Violeta needed in her life.
Now I just needed my protective husband back at my side.
I went in search of a room to temporarily call mine, when a cramp made me bend in half. A sharper pain came, then another. I screamed as I felt a rush of warm liquid between my legs. Something was wrong with the babies! It was too soon, and the doctor had been concerned about their development. I couldn’t lose them! “Teller!” I yelled.
He raced to my side and I tried to remain calm. I heard something about an ambulance and miscarriage, but I was focused on praying for my babies, and for Spider. Was I going to lose my entire new family all in one day? I didn’t think I could handle much more. I was emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted. If I lost my children and my husband, I wouldn’t have a reason to keep going. My sisters would be taken care of, and I had no one else.
Please. Please don’t take them.
Chapter Eleven
Spider
The blast from the grenade launcher had knocked me on my ass. My ears were ringing and the world was spinning. I saw the SUV with my wife go
tearing out of the airstrip, and as much as I wished I could be with her, I knew Teller would keep Luciana safe. I got up and brushed myself off, looking around to assess the damage. Most of the bikes were trashed, and at least half the men who’d stood at my back were down.
I picked my way through the bodies, most of the men still alive, and stopped when I stood over Mateo Gomez. His sightless eyes stared up at me. The lower half of his body was gone, and his men hadn’t fared very well either. Each were missing limbs, and Pedro had lost his head. I couldn’t say I was sorry, but I wished I’d been the one to hand their asses to them.
I felt my phone vibrating and pulled it out, but I still couldn’t hear for shit and knew answering would be pointless. I sent Surge a text to tell him I was fine but couldn’t hear. I got a response almost immediately.
The Colombian President said he was sending someone to take care of his little problem.
Well, that explained the man in black who had taken out Gomez and all his men. I looked around and noticed most of the clubs who had my back were up and moving, or trying to at any rate. Only two didn’t seem to be getting up.
We may have casualties on our side. Going to assess the situation.
I shoved the phone back in my pocket and went from man to man, ensuring everyone was all right. A few were bleeding, but thankfully most just seemed stunned. The two men who weren’t getting up belonged to Devil’s Fury. I made my way over and knelt next to Grizzly, their President.
One of the bodies jerked and the man started coughing. Badger. No wonder Grizzly looked so damn sick. The guy was married to the President’s daughter. He sat up and winced, but didn’t seem too worse for wear all things considered. The other man hadn’t moved yet, but I saw his chest slowly rise and fall, so at least he was alive. I scanned his cut for a name. Wolf. I looked at Grizzly and he motioned for me to move on. I went club by club, making sure everyone was still breathing. My hearing still hadn’t returned when more of my club showed up, along with Dread. He started patching everyone, but I needed answers.