by K E Osborn
Seemingly satisfied with my twist, she exhales. “We bought baby stuff, Trax. It seems so real now.”
A genuine smile crosses my face. “Yeah, we’re actually going to be parents. Can you believe it?”
She snorts slapping my chest playfully. “You’re going to be such a good dad.”
I lean in kissing her as I push her back to the bed careful not to press on her tummy as I lay over her kissing her strongly.
***
The Next Day
It’s another beautiful morning. Sparx’s decided she’s going to try to take some time to catch up on the website work she’s fallen behind in. So I’m taking the opportunity to go and catch up with Ace to see if he has found out anything on the guy from yesterday. I make my way to the chapel to see he’s busy on his computer as I walk in.
“Mornin’,” I call out as I approach.
Ace bobs his head in a greeting but continues typing away. “So, I’ve tried to do some digging. I’ve been up most of the night looking into shit for you.”
“Fuck! Thanks, man.” I had no idea he was going to do that.
He looks to me. It’s only now I see the redness in his eyes and the deep purple bags under his eyelids. I can see he’s telling the truth.
He waves his hand through the air. “Nah, honestly, I want Sparx safe so I’m doing the best I can for her…” He pauses typing in something else then swivels his screen to face me more, so I take a look. What appears to be the guy from the baby emporium is lined up next to a picture of a guy who looks disheveled, and dare I say it, a few pennies short of a dollar. Scrunching my face up at Ace, I huff. “Who’s this guy?”
He exhales. “Okay, so this guy here…” he points to penniless, “… he’s this guy here.” Then he points to the guy in the baseball cap who was in the baby store yesterday. “I was able to find cameras which showed him leaving the store then getting into a vehicle off Michigan Avenue. From there I was able to zone in on the plates of his car. I tracked who the car’s registered to. It’s this guy… Jason Ledermann. I couldn’t really find any reason as to why he’d be in the baby store. He has no current marital or relationship status nor siblings who are expecting babies, so I started digging. It took some time to figure it all out, but it turns out he did a stint in a psych ward in Michigan at the same time as one, wait for it… Everett Scott.”
I let out a long exhale rubbing the tension knot in the back of my neck. “Fuck! So was it a coincidence he was there the same time as us, or did he know Sparx was going to be there and was he looking for her?”
Ace types some more information into his computer bringing up some video footage from outside the baby emporium. It’s of us pulling up, then his car pulls up a little behind us. I scrunch up my face while shaking my head. “So if it isn’t a coincidence, how the hell did he know we were going to be there? Were we followed?”
Ace shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe it was just a coincidence? He didn’t approach her, he didn’t say anything, take any pictures, do anything. Maybe it was just by chance?”
“I doubt it, wishful thinking, but I can’t help but think maybe somehow Everett has spies in bigger places. He has people working on his side. If he knows Sparx isn’t in Grand Rapids anymore and is in Chicago with us, then it might not be long before he makes a move and tries to come after her himself.”
Ace grimaces. “At least he skipped out before you, so he didn’t see where you went. For now, Everett doesn’t know Sparx is here.”
“I was wearing my cut at the shop, might not be too hard to figure it out if they’re smart.”
“We need to tell Torque. Inform him we might have trouble coming our way,” Ace states.
“Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I have no idea what’s coming, if anything. We need to be prepared without getting Sparx involved.”
Ace stands up from his desk, gripping my shoulder. “Don’t worry, brother. We’re all here to protect you and your family. Nothing will harm her or those babies. We’ll all make sure of it.”
“Right, I’ll go find Torque. Maybe we should call church, let everyone in on what’s happening.”
Ace tilts his head. “I think that’s best.”
I turn to head for the door to go in search of my blood brother.
***
After finding Torque and telling him in layman’s terms what I’d found with Ace, he called church. As everyone files in, I can’t help but feel a little nervous. Defiance has been settled for ages other than our small dealing with getting Zia back for Enzo, but now I feel like we have something bigger coming our way. We’re made for this, though, and I know they will protect what’s mine.
Everyone takes their seats as I wrack my jaw from side to side, and Torque bangs his gavel. “Right, now all you fuckers are here, there’s some important business we need to discuss.”
I look around to my brothers. All of them ready and willing to lay down their lives for any one of us, but will they be willing to risk it all for Sparx?
“As you all know, Mylee was sent here because of a threat to her safety. The man threatening her is Everett Scott. It seems he has spies in Chicago scoping out her whereabouts.” My brothers all look to me as they all shift uncomfortably. “For now, we don’t know if Everett knows if she’s here or not, but we have to assume his spy, Jason, who saw Sparx with Trax when he had his cut on, will at least now know of her connection with the club, and… something will be coming. So we all need to keep our ears to the ground but not be obvious about it in front of Sparx. As far as she’s concerned, it’s business as normal.”
Everyone agrees as I lean forward. “I’m going to do everything to keep her in the compound. She’s not going anywhere. I know it’s going to be hard, without giving anything away, but I’m going to try, only letting her go to her appointments. Plus, I’ll be with her for all of those, so nothing will fucking happen while I’m around.”
“Should we be doing something about this Jason?” Chains asks, and my ears prick up. I hadn’t thought of that, but maybe that’s a good idea. I glance at Torque, and he tilts his head.
“Could be an option. Ace, do you think you can find him?”
Ace snorts rolling his eyes. “Already have. He’s staying in a motel not too far from here. We can have brothers there in fifteen minutes.”
“Torque, if we have the opportunity to get to this fucker, we need to take it!”
“Sensei, Chains, you take the lead on this,” Torque instructs.
I sit up higher in my chair. Normally, this is where I would kick up a stink about not being with Sensei for the retrieval, but training with Sensei over the past couple of months has taught me to cool my head. With his breathing techniques, meditation, and the information he’s given me about being responsible for my own actions, have somehow gotten through my fucking brain and instilled a way to control myself before I lash out. Let’s just hope I can put it into practice. I don’t have to be the front man in everything, I can sit this retrieval out, and I understand why Torque has called for Chains instead of me after what happened last time.
Torque rolls his shoulders. “We bring him in. Find out what Everett knows about Sparx and try to do it neatly. Trax, I need you to keep a level head in this.”
I scoff. “I’ll be fine.”
I don’t miss Sensei’s hard eyes on me, along with my brothers. “Maybe you should…” he pauses, his eyebrow raised, “… sit this session out, Trax?” Sensei questions.
My brows crease together. “You’re fucking kidding, right? You’ve trained me. I’m ready for this. I’m not sitting the fuck out? I’m the one wielding the weapons on this, Sensei.”
The room shifts in uncomfortable silence, and Sensei exhales. “Only if I’m by your side.”
My lopsided smile adorns my face. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Torque looks to the room as everyone is quiet taking this all in. “Right, Chains and Sensei will bring Jason in for questioning, and the rest of the club will keep S
parx distracted. Does everyone understand?”
A resounding, “Aye,” fills the room.
I relax further into my seat knowing everyone is onboard.
“Okay, remember, not a word of this to Sparx. Disperse,” Torque calls out.
Everyone stands up as I take a breath tipping my chin to my blood brother. Right now, I want to go find Sparx, make sure she’s doing okay, and that she isn’t suspicious of anything. So I make my way out of the chapel and back to our room. I walk in to see her busy working on her laptop. My chest warms liking that she seems back to her old self, pre-morning sickness, as she sips on some ginger tea.
“Hey, Sparx, how you feeling?” I ask.
“Okay. Much better. So that’s good.”
Walking over to her, my hands move in to massage her shoulders. She sinks into my touch with a moan as a flicker of excitement rumbles in my stomach. But not from her delight. Soon Jason will be here, and soon he won’t know what hit him.
Leaning down, I plant a kiss on her head as she leans back against me, and I inhale the fruity smell of her hair. I’m doing this for her. Everything is for her and our babies.
And Jason is going to pay the ultimate price.
***
As I pace back and forth in the chamber, another drip of water drops into the small puddle on the floor with a plop. The echo sounding through the dank room doing nothing to quench my excitement. Ideas run through my mind, different methods of pulling information from Jason, of watching him squirm. The thought he was watching us in that damn baby shop makes my skin crawl. The fact he’s working for Everett only makes this easier.
The fucker’s going down.
The cold, heavy door slowly creeks open, and my heart leaps into my throat. I spin around in anticipation, but Torque steps down the steps and inside closing the door behind him. I slump my body and turn back to my pacing.
He lets out an audible chuckle as he stomps over to me slapping me on the back, but I shrug him off. “Sheesh, you’re so fuckin’ tense, brother.”
I face him with a stern glare. “Really? You’re gonna say that shit to me right now?”
He jolts his hands up in surrender. “Okay. I get it… try to keep your cool in here. We need information from this guy. Remember that.”
My face scrunches. I turn to pace for the third time. “I’m not a dickhead, Torque. I know what we need, but don’t think I’m not going to make this fucker hurt.”
He sighs. “Yeah, right. I know if this were someone who was fuckin’ around with Foxy, I’d be as worked up as you are, but Trax… information first, you got me? We don’t wanna damn repeat of last time and get nothing.”
I look at him exhaling. “I got you.”
The door pulls back again, and I spin so fast I almost fall over. Torque grabs my shoulders steadying me as we look to see Sensei and Chains stepping in with Jason. My stomach flips as fucking butterflies flutter in my stomach like a fucking school girl. I’m that excited. Seeing him stumbling into the room, his bare feet tripping on the stone floor, his head covered in a sack, his hands bound. Fuck, I almost have a hard-on.
I’m sick.
I’m twisted
And I fucking love it.
Oh fuck! Instantly Sensei’s teachings rip through my brain. The realization that my demon is rearing his ugly head is seeping into my pores. I need to rein myself in, I need to breathe, I need to pull myself together.
Sensei gazes at me, his eyes assessing me as he ushers Jason to the silver chair watching my breathing techniques. I’ve already pulled out the plastic wrap underneath. It’s normally Sensei’s job, but I thought I’d help a brother out. Chains slams Jason down onto the silver chair, and he whimpers, beginning to struggle as Chains holds him in the seat, and Sensei goes about strapping him in. Jason’s murmurs are obviously muffled. I think he’s gagged under his hood.
I stand back. Waiting my turn. Anxiety seeping through my pores. I need to get to him. I need the information. It’s killing me. But finally, Sensei and Chains pull back from Jason. He’s all settled in the silver chair, and I take a breath.
What a sight.
A slow grin appears on my face as I take a deep centering breath.
“Take off the sack,” I demand.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
TRAX
Chains leans in pulling off Jason’s head sack with force. So much so that his head flops forward forcefully making him whimper like a pussy. I smirk as his head slowly shifts upward, his eyes focusing in on the four burly bikers before him. His eyes shift from each one slowly finally landing on me, then they open wide like he realizes he’s in deep shit.
“Oh, so you recognize me, do you, Jason?” I ask, and his eyes bug out of his head. The fear is oozing out of his pores so much so you can practically taste it in the air. It breathes life into me, it fuels me, it’s driving me further. It’s making me hungrier, feeding my appetite to hurt him, to bring him pain so unimaginable only the devil himself knows how to cause it.
But then I take a deep centering breath and remain calm. Sensei yanks down the gag making Jason lick his lips, jostling his tongue around his mouth to wet it from being silenced. He gnaws on his bottom lip, his eyes shifting from me to around the room taking it all in. His body slumps, and he exhales. “Wh-Where am I?”
I crack my knuckles. “Hell.”
His head snaps back to me, his eyes alight with intense fear. “What do you want from me?”
I step forward, all eyes in the room on me, but it doesn’t make me nervous, it doesn’t make me tense, I thrive on it. I know this is my show tonight, and Jason’s the one along for the unwilling ride.
“The truth.”
He tilts his head. “About?”
“Why you were in that baby emporium.”
He glances to Sensei who’s standing right beside me, then back to me as if he’s trying to think of his next words carefully. “I was buying baby clothes for my sister’s baby shower.”
I rest my hand on his knee, making him tense up completely. “Wrong… you don’t have a sister. Want to try that again?”
His breathing comes in hard and heavy as he glances at Torque and Chains. I reach up grabbing his chin hard. My fingers digging into his skin making him whimper as I force him to look at me. “Don’t look at them, they won’t help you. Now tell me, why were you there? Was it because of Everett?”
His eyes widen. He shifts up the seat like he’s backing away, but he’s not getting very far. “Fuck. H-How did you find me?”
I forcibly let go of his chin making his head fly to the side. “We’re the ones asking the damn questions. Now, I’ll give you one last chance, tell me why you were in the baby emporium or things are gonna start to get messy in here.”
He turns to Sensei, a pleading look in his eyes, and Sensei lets out a small chuckle. “Don’t look at me with your pleading eyes. This is normally my job. Any other time, I would be the one punishing you, so don’t think for a moment I’m going to help you out of this. Just tell him the information and maybe… he’ll go easy on you.”
I turn to Sensei with a gesture of thanks. He slaps my shoulder in return. Jason sits, eyes wide like he knows he’s completely screwed but turns his nose up in defiance. I chuckle with a shrug while walking over to Sensei’s cupboard in the corner of the room. It’s full of Japanese torture weapons, but I want to go more old school. So, I search until I find something I like.
Pulling out a Louisville Slugger, one custom made with the Chicago Defiance logo on it, I chuckle throwing it over my shoulder as I saunter back to the middle of the room. Sensei raises his brow as I drop the tip of the bat to land on my boot. Jason stares at it in confusion.
“So, slugger… feel like talking yet?” I ask.
“I told you, I was there for my sister’s—”
I pick the bat up without hesitation and swing as hard as I can, full force onto his kneecaps. The sound of his bones cracking and disintegrating beneath the bat’s blow echoes through
the room along with his almighty wail. My chest puffs out as I smile wide, his eyes roll into the back of his head in agony. His knees collapsing, his legs dangling like they’re not really being held together by anything now but jelly.
It’s a beautiful sight to behold.
Sensei’s arm reaches out, his hand places on my shoulder, and I take a breath. I need to calm it down. Remember what he told me. If I enjoy this too much, enjoy the kill too much, it could take over.
I have a family now.
I need to rein myself in.
Turning to look at Sensei, his concerned eyes tell me everything I already know. I’m losing myself in this.
I clear my throat looking back at Jason. He’s panting, still conscious, so I step up to him, grabbing his hair, forcing him to look at me. “Tell me why you were there, Jason. No fucking about.”
He sniffs, I think I even see his eyes watering. “Everett sent me to find her. He thought Crest might have sent her to a brother club. I was scoping out all of the clubs. Yours was on the list. So I was following people in and out of the club to see where they were going to get a lead. Then I saw you guys going in the baby emporium. I noticed it was Mylee from the photographs Everett had supplied, so I had to get proof.”
My stomach churns. “What do you mean proof?”
He takes a couple of steadying breaths. “Proof of where she is.”
Standing up, I begin to pace as my stomach churns. The thought of Everett knowing Sparx’s whereabouts frightens the shit out of me. I’m not scared to admit it because I have no idea what the guy’s capable of. All I know is my woman is pregnant, and some nut job wants to come after her.