by KJ Dahlen
Candyman looked into the other man’s face and nodded. “That could change and he’s going to want to see what I found.”
Rage stared at him for a long moment that stretched into 2, then shaking his head as if he knew Candyman would certainly regret this, he stepped aside.
Candyman continued his walk toward the table and sat down on the other side of Pride.
Pride paused in lifting the glass to his lips and shifted his hard gaze to his VP. “Tonight isn’t a good night Candyman.” He growled.
Candyman nodded then leaned forward and took the bottle off the table. He took a sip of the liquor.
The rest of the room grew quiet, as if they all knew an ass beating was imminent.
Candyman looked down at the picture in Pride’s hand. “She was a beautiful little girl wasn’t she? But you know what? She’s even more beautiful as a young woman.” He took his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through to find her picture. Then he carefully slid his cell phone across the table to his president. “I found her, boss.”
The entire room gasped.
Pride’s eyes flared with rage as he grasped the phone and studied the picture on the screen. His own eyes stared back at him. His heart froze in his chest as he studied the girl in the photograph.
Candyman had been right, she was a beautiful little girl, but as a woman, she was stunning. Raising his eyes, he croaked out one word, “Where?”
The other brothers got up and began gathering around Pride’s table.
“Lake Saint Catherine,” Candyman told him.
Pride looked around the table and saw his brothers standing there. He passed the phone to Rage.
Rage studied it and passed it to the next brother.
It got all the way around the room, finally ending up in Cosmo’s hands. He studied the woman’s face then looked over at Candyman and Pride. Even he could see Pride’s stamp in her face. This woman was his daughter. Now they would find his missing piece and finally come face to face with Joanie as well. And after everything she’d put him through, she would face his and the club’s wrath as well.
“We leave at dawn to find her,” Pride ordered as he got to his feet.
As he spoke, the front door opened.
Spider and Smoker went inside the Wrath’s clubhouse.
Spider sported a new cast of sorts on his wrist and a few fresh bruises. He growled as he saw everyone standing while looking odd.
Many expressions in the room seemed off. Some with joy while others were stamped with shock.
“What’s going on here?” Spider snapped as he clenched the makeshift cast. He couldn’t go to the ER, so he and Smoker had wrapped it themselves.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Pride demanded.
Spider shrugged but didn’t say anything. Instead, he asked again, “What’s going on here?”
“Candyman brought some good news,” Pride told them. “He might have found my daughter. We’re going to check on things tomorrow.”
Spider didn’t look panicked, instead he relaxed and nodded at Pride. “How the hell did he do that? We’ve been looking for her forever.”
“I don’t know how he found her but we’re going to go and see her tomorrow morning,” Pride informed him.
“That’s great Pride.” Spider looked at him and nodded. “After all this time, you finally found her.” He looked over at Candyman and asked, “Did you see her mother too? Did you see Joanie?”
Candyman shook his head. “No, I just saw the girl. But it’s a place to start.”
Spider glanced over to catch Smoker’s eyes then turned to Candyman. “Well, I think a smaller group would be better so Smoker and me will stay behind and watch over the camp. Good luck.” They both walked over to the bar and grabbed a bottle, then went over to a table and sat down.
When everyone settled down to talk plans, Spider poured a glass and passed the bottle to Smoker.
When Smoker poured a matching glass, he said in a whisper, “I thought she was dead all these years.”
“So did I.” Spider nodded. “I saw the car go over the ditch and it’s a long way down to the bottom. Then a few minutes later, the fuckin’ car exploded. I don’t know how the kid survived.”
“Well, this could come back to slap you in the face,” Smoker pointed out. “If Pride finds out about what happened eighteen years ago and every day since then, you will be dead.”
Spider snorted. “How the hell is he gonna find out I’m the one who’s betraying him to the Shadows? Nobody even knows Lionel and I are twins except for you.” He turned to face Smoker.
Smoker gave him a sour look. “Are you fucking nuts?” he complained. “Why would I do something stupid like that when I’m in just as deep as you are?” Shaking his head, he said, “I’m not looking to die anytime soon, either by your hand or Pride’s. You think I’m an idiot or what?”
Spider glared at him for a moment then shook his head, “No, you aren’t that stupid.” Then he turned to look at Pride and the other brothers. “But we gotta get to that girl before they do. Lionel wants to leave Pride with nothing before he attacks this place. I’m not sure why he hates the man so bad, but he does.”
“What do you mean you don’t know why?” Smoker asked. “I’m not the smartest man I know but I ain’t that dumb.”
Spider glared at the other man. “Ok Mr. Einstein, why does my brother hate Pride so much?”
“Because he wanted Joanie but she went to Pride not him, then she had Pride’s kid, didn’t she? I wouldn’t want to be the man who rammed her car off the road, Lionel would shoot first and ask questions... like never.”
Spider felt a cold hole begin to grow in the pit of his belly. Smoker was right, Lionel would kill him if he ever found out he had run her car over the edge of that deep ditch, especially when he knew there was no way the woman would survive. Lionel wouldn’t care that he was his brother either.
Lionel thought he loved Joanie Remmy. He had since he was in high school but Joanie didn’t love Lionel back. She never had. That only fed the obsession he had for her.
That hadn’t stopped Lionel. He continued to love Joanie all these years. Lionel couldn’t or wouldn’t accept the fact that Joanie wasn’t ever coming back to him.
Spider sat there at the table with Smoker and realized he’d fucked up eighteen years ago when he’d pushed Joanie and her daughter over the rim of that ditch. He had just wanted her gone as he felt that she would fuck up all his plans someday. But he had always known if either man found out he did it, one or the other of them— would kill him.
Chapter Six
Early the next morning, Lake St. Catherine....
Pride, Candyman, Cosmo and several of the others parked their rides at the lot on the top of the hill, and began walking down toward the water’s edge.
A couple of the other boaters looked up and watched them but they didn’t offer any conversation.
Two fishermen looked at Pride with interest then they silently glanced at each other and went back to the work, ignoring the group of bikers.
But Pride wouldn’t be ignored. He walked right up to where both men were sitting, working on the nets. “Excuse me, have either of you guys seen this young woman?” he asked as he held his phone out.
Neither man looked at the phone but both shook their heads. “Nope, I ain’t seen her, have you Fred?”
“Nope Henry, I ain’t seen her.” Fred growled.
Pride narrowed his eyes on the pair then looked down the row of houseboats beyond them. Everyone looked busy, yet none of them were watching them, a group of bikers down on their docks and yet, they all had no interest in the visit at all? He knew he wouldn’t get any information from them even if they did know her.
He took out a slip of paper then wrote his phone number on it and left it on the bench beside Henry. “This is in case she comes around again...” He held up his hands in defense. “I swear I just want to talk to her. I think she could be my kid and I just want to find out. I do
n’t mean her any harm. I swear.”
“And if she does come around again, who should I say came calling?” Henry growled.
“My name is Nash Pride. My MC is called Kings of Wrath. We’re over by Jackson’s Landing.”
“Turn around. I want to see your vest.” Fred snarled.
Pride turned and showed him the symbol on the back of his cut.
Fred snarled and grabbed his shotgun. Getting to his feet, he pointed the weapon at Pride. “You get your dumb ass out of here. Take your boys with you and don’t you or yours come back here, not ever again. Cuz next time we’ll shoot first!”
“What the hell you doing, Fred?” Henry called out.
“Didn’t you see the skull with the crown on the back of his vest?” Fred snarled. “The guys that beat Joe to death were wearing the same thing. I’ll be damned if I’m gonna welcome them around here. Ain’t no way, no how.” He lifted the shotgun up again. “Get out, I told you. And don’t come back, we’ll call the cops and have them looking out for you and yours.” He snarled, “You and yours come back here, and you’ll leave with some buckshot in your asses.”
“Whoa, wait a minute here.” Pride frowned. “Are you telling me one or more of my guys beat someone to death? When did this happen?”
“Joe died four months ago,” Henry told him quietly.
Pride narrowed his eyes at the two men. “And you think I had my men do something so vile?”
Henry looked up at his face. “The two men were wearing your vest. We came to help but we were too late. Joe never called out for help until it got too much for him to bear. Those two men absolutely trashed his boat and beat him bad.” Shaking his head, he sighed. “There was nothing we could do. He bled inside and we called the police but by the time they got here, it was too late.”
“Does this have anything to do with this woman?” Pride asked warily.
“Why should we tell you that?” Henry asked.
“Because her life might be in danger and I’ll be damned if I get this close, then lose her to a fucking traitor.” Pride growled. Looking down at the paper with his phone number on it he snarled, “You see those two men again, you call me. Whatever they did to Joe, they did it without my word. That isn’t how we roll. We are a legit club and we take pride in that fact. If two of my brothers are breaking the rules, then we never knew it.” Pride held out his hand.
Henry hesitated but eventually, he reached out to shake his hand.
Pride then offered his hand to Fred.
Fred just glared at him as he still held his shotgun on him.
Pride let out a sigh then turned and walked back to his men at the top of the hill.
Spider and Smoker had been sitting in the tall grass, away from the direct line of sight ever since the sun had come up over the lake. So far, they couldn’t find the woman that had been seen just yesterday but Spider knew if they couldn’t find her, neither would Pride and the others.
It wasn’t long before they heard the others arrive and they knew they had to stay hidden but they would keep watch for what happened next. They sat in the tall grass and watched.
Pride had talked to a couple of old timers, then he had walked away.
Spider snarled then looked over at Smoker. “Fucking hell, what is he up to now?”
“I don’t know but I don’t like it,” Smoker admitted. “Maybe we should just get the hell out of here and stay away for a while?”
“Maybe you’re right but as long as the brothers stick around, we can’t move anywhere. If they see us, they’ll know we’re up to something. Looks like we’re gonna have to wait until the road is clear.”
They had lain together for a long while in a comfortable silence. Kirill held Boo close to him.
She had relaxed so much that she had just laid there snoozing off and on.
He put his nose to her neck and took another whiff of her incredibly addictive scent. Then as if he could not help himself, he began an assault on her bare skin again. He nibbled and sucked on her neck as he slid down the bed to her chest. She groaned and grasped the sheets as he laved, and suckled her nipples. First, one, then the other. He could feel the blood rush to his cock as her scent and taste surrounded them.
After their first time, he had cleaned her with warm water and a washcloth but the longer they’d laid here the more he wanted her again. He had to show her that making love didn’t need to hurt every time. This time, he would show her the pleasure between a man and a woman.
He teased her nipples with his mouth, tongue and teeth and she ran her fingers through his hand and pulled on it. He hissed but didn’t move away from her. Then he slipped down to her belly. Then he went lower and her scent filled his nostrils. She smelled like sweet cherries and cream. Then he licked her to see if she would taste as good as she smelled.
He groaned, as he couldn’t stop licking her cream. His tongue swirled around her hard button and she groaned at every pass his tongue made. He pushed her legs open as wide as he could get them and she screamed in pleasure as his fingers entered her. After a few thrusts, he couldn’t wait anymore. His cock needed to be inside her and he lifted himself over the top of her. “I’m sorry but I need your heat.”
“Oh yes... please.” She whimpered in need.
Situating himself at the opening of her core, he pushed in slowly, hissing as he went. Once he was deep inside, he began the dance of soft thrusts and gentle withdrawals but while it felt so good when she wrapped her legs around his waist and begged for more, Kirill felt his control slipping.
“More, I need more, please,” Boo whispered greedily.
“But I don’t want to hurt you again,” he grumbled.
“You didn’t hurt me the first time,” She groaned. “I touched the stars in your arms and I want that again, please...”
Kirill growled, as his thrusts got harder and deeper. Then soon, Boo was purring in his arms. As his hips began to snap in earnest, she began lifting her hips in response.
Sweat began building on his forehead and he felt the zap at the base of his spine. His hand barely touched her clit and she screamed as she clamped down on him and was milking him dry.
She screamed into his shoulder and Kirill roared with his release. The release was so strong neither of them could move for a moment... it was all Kirill could do to move off her and curl up at her side.
“Oh, my god...” she whispered. “That was even better than the first time.”
“Can I keep you?” he asked her.
She chuckled softly. Turning her head she looked at him, “We are not so different you and I are we? Two lost souls coming together, huh?” She reached out and cupped his cheek. “But I have a feeling you have things to do and people to see, a lot more important people than I happen to be.”
“What are you saying?” He cocked his head and studied her for a moment.
She looked around at the interior of the small houseboat. “This is the only life I’ve ever known. I lost my memory so long ago and I doubt I’ll ever remember what I left behind. Joe took me in and raised me up. But you...” she hesitated. “...I have a feeling there’s someone out there who cares about you, who loves you enough to come and find you and take you back with them.” She touched the red star on his chest. “I don’t know what this means to you but I’m sure it’s an important part of your life. I cannot compete with that.”
“I’m not asking you to compete with my life before we met, but instead, be part of it from now on.” He looked into her eyes.
“Why? We’re just people who met, for what reason nobody knows.” She shrugged.
“I don’t know if I can just walk away from you and leave you behind,” he admitted.
Boo smiled at him. “Well, you do know where to find me. Out on the lake, floating along.”
Chapter Seven
New Orleans...
Felix frowned at the clock on the wall and wondered where his brother was. He and Kosta had arrived at work this morning but Kirill had not, and th
at wasn’t like him at all.
Now it was getting on to lunchtime and he still hadn’t shown up yet.
Kosta growled as the clock began to chime the noon hour. “Where the hell is he?”
“I haven’t seen or heard from him since we were at the lake yesterday.” Felix shook his head.
Yuri walked into the security room and glanced between the two brothers. He looked around but didn’t see the third Grigori brother. “Where is Kirill?” he barked out.
“We don’t know,” Felix admitted. “We spent the day yesterday on Lake Saint Catherine fishing and when we left, he told us he would see us tomorrow but he hasn’t shown up yet.”
Yuri frowned. “You think he ran into some trouble?”
Kosta shrugged but didn’t say anything.
Yuri glanced at the clock and told them, “If you don’t hear anything by three, maybe you should go back and search for him.”
“Da, we will do that.” Felix nodded. “This is so unlike him.”
“Da, it is,” Yuri agreed. Then he frowned. “But in the meantime, we need to look into this street gang, the Shadows of Hell. They are getting bolder and we are getting reports of them trying to move into the city. Whatever we do, we cannot allow that.”
“It is a problem. One we have to stop immediately.” Felix’s grimace matched Yuri’s. “We’ve dealt with men such as these before, here and in Russia.”
“And we will again,” Kosta told them both. “Parasites such as these always come out of the woodwork to see if it’s safe and every time we beat them back, they wait a bit then come out again.” Shaking his head, he said, “And then we have to beat them back again, until they finally learn their lesson the hard way. They always have to learn things the hard way.”
Yuri looked over the few bits of information they had dug up on the gang. Then he nodded at them and walked out of the room.
The two brothers got back to work.
They were hoping that Kirill might show up yet.