“I’ll be here waiting.” We all figured it’d be better to not have a vehicle nearby and taking a chance of it being spotted. Mercenary needs to be protected as much as possible being out here on his own. He’s leaving behind his phone so that if they have any tracking devices, they won’t be able to pick up on his cell. This is nothing new for him though, he’s used to the danger and unknown. It’s what he did in the service as well as when he was a man for hire.
Harmony however, has no idea what her old man’s up to. That should be a fun thing to share with her when we get back home. “Stay safe, brother,” I say as he hops out.
“Take care of my woman, Edge. If one hair on her head is out of place when I return, it’s your head I’ll be taking off,” he tells me, taking out his blade, running it across the top of his thumbnail. “Huh, this one’s a little rusty, too,” he declares, insinuating that rusty blade is what he’d use to remove my head from my shoulders.
Smiling I say, “I’ll take real good care of her.”
“Not too good you fucker,” he warns as he runs off, blending into the background and disappearing from sight. I look at my watch and set the timer for exactly forty-eight hours from now.
Chapter Ten
Edge
Dropping a brother off to deal with the unknown isn’t settling well with me. The entire ride back to the compound, something felt off, and was leaving a nasty taste in my mouth. We’ve never left a man out there on his own before. I feel as if we’ve abandoned him in some way. When we finally make it home, I struggle with the feelings that are overpowering me.
Walking inside, I walk behind the bar and grab a beer. My hope is that it will wash the bitterness off my buds. When I see that Harmony is nowhere around, I feel comfortable calling it a night. Without saying a word to anyone, I walk to my room, anxious to see Talia and let her help me forget, at least for a little while. Expecting her to be sleeping, I quietly turn the handle to the door, but when my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room, I realize right away that something is amiss.
There’s no lump on the bed and the sounds she makes while sleeping aren’t present. “Talia?” I call out as I walk into the room and turn on my lamp. “Talia? Where are you at, baby?” Heading toward the bathroom, my stomach flips when I see that the door is wide open and it’s dark inside. A feeling of dread settles deep within me and I rush to the closet checking to see if her bag is in there.
Everything of hers is gone. Slamming my fist into the wall I scream out her name as I go stomping out of the room. I’m not really sure what I’ll find when I question the prospects and Harmony, but I have a feeling it’ll be something that I don’t want to hear. Glancing back at my desk, I notice a letter folded in half with my name written on the outside. Rushing over to open it, my blood runs cold when I read the contents.
She left! All feeling leaves my legs and they begin to tremble before I lose my balance, causing me to collapse into my chair. Fear for her is ever present in my mind, it’s the only thing I can seem to think about. Then the questions begin to take hold. How did she get past the gate? There were four fucking prospects here to keep her in place. Slamming my closed fist into the desk, I stand up sending my chair flying across the room as I march down to confront the morons I left in charge of her safety. Finding Shifter, I walk right up to him and get in his face. “Where the fuck is my woman?” I growl loud enough to gather the attention of Rogue and Bane.
“She’s in your room. I watched her walk in there myself.” He stands, holding his hands up in despair, defending himself.
“Really?” I hold the crumpled up note, waving it in front of him.
“He’s right, she came down here and grabbed her a soda before telling us she was turning in for the night,” Pee-wee interjects.
“Let me see that.” Rogue extends his hand out. Without another word, my shaky hands hold it out for him to take. He scans it several times before a look of utter anger plagues his features as he clenches his jaw. “Who was on gate duty, and who the fuck was doing perimeter checks? There’s no way either one of them should have missed her leaving our fucking property.”
“Stretch was on perimeter check, and Shade was given gate duty,” Shifter answers Rogue’s question without hesitation. Even though the prospects usually stick up for each other, and answer for each other’s mistakes, this is something he can’t protect those two from.
“I want them front and center. Now.” He and Bane are standing next to each other. Shoulder to shoulder with their arms folded across their chest. The two of them make a formidable sight. If I wasn’t so pissed the hell off, I’d be worried about what the future holds for the two.
Less than five minutes later the two assholes are standing in the room, surrounded by the officers. I go to speak, but Rogue holds up his hand, halting me. “Did either one of you leave your post tonight?” Bane’s eyes narrow as he looks at each one of them.
Stretch’s usually tan pigmentation seems to have left him as he turns as white as snow. “The club and our borders were clear, I checked twice.” He stumbles over his words.
“You checked twice,” I mutter underneath my breath.
“So after checking twice, you did what exactly?” Rogue interrogates him, Shade begins shuffling his feet and stance from side to side as he contemplates how to answer.
“Answer the question,” Bane snaps.
“Cindy, uh…” Shade begins, before Rogue stops him with a singular venomous look.
“Stretch?” Bane, Rogue, and I say his name simultaneously.
“Cindy, she came out and offered to take care of me. She ended up giving me a blow job. I swear to you all, everything was secure so I gave in. I had some tension and she offered to relieve it.” He hangs his head in shame while looping his fingers into his jean pockets.
“You have got to be kidding me. Someone please tell me he’s joking?” When the last word leaves my mouth, I lunge at him, only to be held back by Sandman and Pyro.
“We’ll get to the bottom of this, Edge. They won’t get away with abandoning their station,” Sandman replies, attempting to settle me down. Newsflash, it isn’t working. My hands are balled up next to my body, I’m ready to attack as soon as they release me. These two will be having a visit from my fist to their faces.
“It doesn't matter now. Nothing they say will bring her back,” I manage to grit out between my clenched teeth.
“We know, brother.” The commiseration they are displaying, is no comfort to my shattered heart. I attempt to settle down, so I’m not thrown out of the room. I play out in my mind exactly how I’d like to dismember their bodies as I lean my head from one side to the other in an attempt to relieve the pressure. Finally, I get myself under a semi-state of control, but neither of them release their hold on me.
“You good?” Rogue asks me sternly.
“No, I’m not. But I want to know what these two idiots thought was more important than protecting the women we entrusted to their care.” Turning my toxic look at them, I await an answer. But I am of the notion, that nothing they say will deter my deep-seated desire to rearrange their faces.
“Understandable. Shade, care to tell us what you were doing while Stretch was fucking a slut’s mouth?” Rogue quizzes him.
“Everything was quiet and as Stretch said, the compound was secure so I joined the two of them.” Shade looks in my direction, a look of mortification plastered deeply on his face. I couldn’t care less how humiliated and uncomfortable he is. He and Stretch royally fucked up.
“Take them out back. Your day of reckoning has arrived.” Rogue walks away, sending them a look of disgust.
“Are we stripping them of their prospect patches?” Bane turns to Rogue and asks.
“Usually we vote on these things, but I’m making the decision on this one. They will be stripped of their patches effective immediately. And, they will be downgraded to hang arounds until they prove their loyalty. Then we will vote on bringing them back on as prospects at a lat
er date and time. Edge, for now they are yours to enlighten on what it is they’ve done wrong. Grab five brothers and educate these flunkies on what brotherhood should be about.” He flicks his lit cigarette on the ground in their direction.
I look around me and pick Sandman, knowing he needs to expel some pent-up aggression. I pick Pyro as my second choice, because I know the kind of damage the man can cause to someone’s flesh. Then I nod to Phantom, wanting him beside me in this because he’s always looking for a good fight. And, as always, wanting my President and VP by my side, Rogue and Bane round up the men I choose.
While we’re cleaning the blood from our knuckles Rogue asks Bane, “When’s Harlow supposed to be coming home? I want to make sure she has an escort from the airport.”
“When I talked to her last night, she said her sister is improving and is expecting to come home in four days,” Bane answers. “I can’t wait to have that woman home. I swear I’m never letting her leave my sight again. I didn’t realize how lonely my life was without her. Or my cock.”
Through what sounds like a forced chuckle, Rogue responds, “That feeling never dissipates, brother.” Rogue’s eyes become empty and distant. Aurora, his deceased old lady, was his world. The day he lost her to Marx’s hands, is one I fear he’ll never get past. I highly doubt the man will ever love another woman again. There’s no one out there special enough to fill the void she’s left in his life. She was a mother figure to all of us, the club matriarch.
* * *
One week later
* * *
The day we picked up Mercenary, he informed us that it would take several more visits before the land was secure enough for us to proceed in rescuing Aria. Sandman had to literally be sedated and is now under lock and key to keep him here. Not a day has passed that my thoughts don’t stray to Talia. I miss her desperately, and wish that things were safe enough to where I could go and speak to Briggs. I want her back, and I will have her back, but first I need to be able to assure her that she has nothing left in this world to fear...ever again.
Merc is leaving again in the morning much to Harmony’s displeasure, to go and disassemble some more mines. Emotions around here are at an all-time high from all of us. Harmony has begged and pleaded with her old man and her father about Merc being the man for this particular job. It’s a daily argument she finds herself on the losing end of. In the meantime, I get lost in a bottle of our finest whiskey to drown out the constant ghost of Talia running around the clubhouse, sleeping in my bed and taking over my room.
* * *
Talia
* * *
Two weeks after leaving the compound
* * *
Saying goodbye to Briggs was hard on both of us. He’s been my rock since the day I stumbled into his bar. He was my salvation, a father figure to me, when I saw no way to go on. As he stood next to the bus as it pulled away, I saw the tears freely flowing down his face and know that it hurt him as deeply as it did me.
Edge has been plaguing my thoughts. He makes appearances in my sleep. A repeat of the one time we spent being one with each other. The way his hands caressed my body, and the way each touch he made on my heated skin brought me to life. I doubt any man will ever hold a candle to the feelings he evoked from me.
Briggs, and his friend, Shields, were able to provide me with a new identity. I’m still wary and keep my eyes open at all times. I never let my guard down and am always watching my surroundings. It’s not that I don’t trust the two of them, but I know how shady Frank, his brothers, and the Warped Henchmen are. This keeps me cautious, aware, and attentive at all times. I will forever be guarded, with my walls built high when it comes to trusting outsiders.
There have been many times I’ve wanted to pick up the phone and call Edge or Harmony. Just to check in with the two of them to see how they are. If nothing else, I might be able to rest easier if I know that no one has been hurt. Or at least answer the question that’s been on my conscience with worry, has there been any sort of retaliation on them for protecting me? The constant headache that Frank was able to figure out where I was hiding causes a persistent ache in my stomach.
With my new identity I wasn’t able to get a job using my nursing degree. Instead I’ve settled at being a data entry clerk at a survey company. Who knew those annoying pamphlets that companies send you asking you to give them a review on services rendered actually get answered? My job is to transfer those into a written document and send them over to the companies. It’s annoying and repetitive, but at least it’s bringing me some income. Just as I want to pound my head against the desk from boredom, the mail clerk walks by dropping off another stack to be entered. Looking down at my wrist watch, I am thankful that it’s my lunchtime. This time every day I call Briggs for an update. Grabbing the lunch I packed, I head to the park across the street and sit at the bench I’ve claimed as my own.
“Afternoon, Talia,” Briggs answers on the third ring.
“Any new information?” I ask without hesitation.
“Nothing's changed since yesterday, Talia. My sources say that your ex and the club he belongs to are still holed up at their compound. They’ve made no moves, but there’s been a new chick that has joined them.”
“Fuck. Where did they snatch her from?” I curiously ask.
“From my understanding, she’s there willingly. She walked right up to their compound and hasn’t left since. But when she’s been spotted outside, no one’s laid hands on her that she hasn’t been okay with,” he responds.
“What kind of woman would purposely step into their way of living?” I just can’t seem to wrap my mind around that. But, after enduring what I did with Frank all those years, I was almost willing to go back to the lifestyle. So, who am I to judge?
“My guy sent me a picture of her. He was asking if I’d seen her around. She seemed familiar to him, but he couldn’t place her.” And with his declaration, I eagerly want to see this picture.
“Can you send it to me?” My curiosity is now at an all-time high.
“Hang on.” A few seconds he comes back on the line and says, “okay it’s been sent.” It doesn't take long until I receive the notification that I’ve been sent a message. When I open the picture, my jaw drops open.
“What the fuck is she doing there?” Questions run rampant in my mind when the woman staring at me is no other than the very slut whose ass I beat. Angie. “We have to warn Edge and the Twisted Iron men. She could’ve been inside getting information to share with them, Briggs.”
“I’ll see what I can do, Talia. From what I’ve been told, they’ve already been spotted scoping out the Henchmen’s clubhouse. They’re good, I have to give them that. Only my men have spotted them, Frank and those idiots have no clue that anyone’s been on their property. I personally can’t wait to see how this plays out.” He chuckles and it causes my hackles to rise.
“This isn’t a laughing matter, Briggs. What if they get hurt? It’ll be all my fault,” I solemnly whine into the receiver of the phone.
“None of this is your fault, Talia. I don’t wanna hear that shit again. You understand?” I hate it when Briggs is irritated with me, but I can’t help the way my heart feels as if it’s going to beat out of my chest.
“If Edge had never met me none of this would be happening. He and his family would be peacefully living their lives. Edge is doing this out of some sense of loyalty that I evoked from him. You have to stop him, Briggs,” I plead through the phone.
“And how exactly would you like me to do that?” he dryly inquires.
“I don’t know. Can’t you think of something? This has to stop, it needs to end with me.” A sob breaks free of my tightened chest.
“I can’t get involved or in the middle of a club war, Talia. I’m sorry, we’ll just have to sit back and let this play out.” This is not the answer I want to hear. Instead of arguing any further, I simply hang up the phone. Lowering my head in defeat, I toss my half-eaten lunch into the trash can.<
br />
It seems me leaving didn’t stop the progress of what was already in the works. I tried to stop the death and destruction before it could further touch Edge. The man who’s stolen my heart and holds it in his hands without knowledge. Absence has definitely made my heart grow fonder. Please, fuck, please let him come out of this alive and well.
Chapter Eleven
Edge
The day has finally arrived for us to go in, save Aria and end Talia’s living, breathing nightmare. I’ve been waiting for this day to arrive. Once this is over with, I plan on going and paying Briggs a visit and demanding he tell me where Talia has run off to. We are a mile away from the Henchmen’s compound. We will be going in by foot from this point on.
“Is everyone locked and loaded?” Rogue queries. When we all affirm that we are, he then probes us by asking, “do you all remember the plan we came up with? If there’s any questions you need to ask, now’s the time.” We all shake our head or verbally answer that we’re secure with the plan. “No more talking from this point on. Mercenary is our lead, he knows this land now like the back of his hand. When he holds his hand up in a fist that means stop. When he waves us forward it means all is good and we keep going. Good luck, brothers. I better be celebrating later with every last one of you fuckers.”
Quietly and methodically we all follow Mercenary’s signals. He was positive that he deactivated all of the live mines, but he’ll still be looking for anything he might’ve missed. Not wanting to blow into a million pieces, we make sure to pay attention to each one of his moves. Time moves slowly as we make our way to their outside borders. Fox pulls out this plastic dart gun. He loads it just as we gain the attention of their attack dogs. With perfect timing, he’s able to lodge a tranquilizer into each of them and they fall. Novalee also provided us with muzzles to use while they’re incapacitated. The last trip Mercenary made out here, he secured some chains to a couple of trees. We move as a unit as we carry them over, tie them up, and make sure to place the muzzles over the dogs’ faces.
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