by L. Wilder
I turned on my side and tried to find a comfortable position. Unfortunately, the throbbing in my muscles was becoming worse, making it harder to ignore. I looked over at the bottle of pills on the bedside table and decided to take one in hopes of easing some of the pain. After an hour, the aching finally subsided, but I still couldn’t sleep. It was only eight o’clock, and where Big was exhausted from being up all night, I was wide awake. I turned on the TV and tried to find something to watch, but had no luck. The longer I lay there, the harder it was to ignore the voices in my head, especially Nitro’s. When he talked about those men and their plans for my sister, my blood ran cold. Just thinking about the nonchalant way he spoke about the cartel made my skin crawl. I’d never met anyone like him. While he was attractive with his tousled brown hair and hazel eyes, a sense of power radiated off of him, making him seem more than a little threatening. But when he smiled and the light sparkled in his beautiful hazel eyes, I could see there was a different side to him, one that was kind and trustworthy, making me understand why Big would be friends with a man like him. I just hoped that together they’d be able to find a way out of this mess.
I couldn’t think about it anymore. I felt like the walls were closing in on me, and I had to get out of there, even if it was just to get something to eat from the kitchen. I hoped the taste of something sweet would settle my nerves and help me get some much needed sleep. Just as I opened the door, I found Big standing there—with no shirt on again—looking hot as ever. Damn. The man was killing me. “Hey.”
“You okay?” His voice sounded like he’d just woken up, low and raspy and sexy as hell.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”
He leaned against the door as he yawned. “Just checking.”
“I thought you were going to get some sleep.”
“I was. Got hungry.” I sighed silently to myself as he smiled and ran a hand over his chiseled stomach. I didn’t stand a chance.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“Wanna go to the kitchen and grab a bite?”
All those thoughts of keeping my focus shot out the window when I answered, “Sure. Sounds good.”
When I stepped out into the hall, his lips curled into a smirk when he noticed what I was wearing. It was cold in Tristen’s room, really cold. It’s the only reason why I’d put back on his hoodie. Besides, it was comfortable with the leggings I’d borrowed from Tristen. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it smelled like him or it gave me a sense of comfort to have close to my skin – absolutely nothing. Choosing to ignore the goofy look on his face, I stepped past him and headed down the hall. When we got into the kitchen, Big went straight for the fridge. “Whatcha in the mood for?”
“Depends on what you’ve got.”
“There’s leftover burgers from dinner… some sandwich stuff…” He paused as he walked over to the cabinets. “Cereal and Pop-Tarts.”
I walked over to him, and when I noticed a box of my favorite kid’s cereal, I grabbed it. “This will do.”
“Got enough in there for two bowls?”
I gave it a good shake and answered, “Yep. Plenty.”
“Good.”
He took the milk from the refrigerator and got us some bowls and spoons before heading over to the table. We both poured ourselves a giant helping and ate in silence. When his bowl was almost empty, he reached for the box and poured himself another large helping. The silence starting to get to me, I asked, “So… where’d ya learn so much about computers?”
“Taught myself.”
“Seriously?” It wasn’t a secret that lots of kids learned about the elements of hacking on their own, especially during the era when Big grew up. The World Wide Web was new and had limited security, opening them up to limitless opportunity. It was a kind of sport to them, pushing a boundary or learning cool new tricks to brag about. It wasn’t like that for me. I’d spent hours upon hours watching my father, learning everything he knew about technology. His passion for the computer world was ingrained in me from an early age, and I was always eager to learn more. It was one of the reasons why I’d decided to study information systems in college. I loved it, and I was finally at the point where I could do just about anything with processors and coding. What had taken me years to accomplish with my father’s help and tons of classes, Big had learned on his own, which was pretty freaking impressive.
“Had some help along the way.”
“From Nitro?”
He chuckled under his breath. “Nitro doesn’t know shit about computers.”
“Then, how did you two meet?”
He hesitated for a moment, studying me before he gave his answer. “Met him in prison.”
“Oh.” I could hear my mother’s voice chanting “wrong, wrong, wrong” as I thought about all the things he could’ve done—maybe he killed someone or he was dealing drugs or he robbed a bank. The list was endless, and my mind was racing with curiosity as I took another spoonful of my cereal. I knew it was none of my business, but I couldn’t stop myself from asking. “And… why exactly did you end up in prison?”
“Which time?”
I looked up at him, noting the playful look in his eyes, and it was clear he was mocking me. “Which time? Really?” He just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “Ok, then. Let’s go with the first time.”
“Got sent to juvie for hacking into my dad’s trucking service. At first, I just wanted to check his schedule so I’d know where he was going and when he’d be back. It wasn’t a big deal until I started messing with his route.”
“Why would you mess with his route?”
“Heard my folks talking about money troubles. My dad was gonna have to find a second job unless something changed. So, I swapped some stuff around. Got him some longer routes with a higher pay grade. Things were going fine until one of the guys started bitching about his cut in pay. They looked into it, found out what I was doing, and off to juvie I went.”
“And your dad?”
“He lost his job and pretty much blamed me for fucking everything up.”
“But, you were only trying to help.”
“He didn’t see it that way.” As soon as the words left his mouth, it was like someone jerked him a hundred miles away. He was completely lost in his own thoughts as he ate the rest of his cereal.
I should’ve just left it, but I didn’t. “And the other time?”
He leaned back in his chair. “By the time I got out of juvie, things at home had changed, and not for the better. My folks were always at each other’s throats, bitching about this or that, and I knew things were about to fall apart. When my dad would go out in the truck, my mom would all but disappear. For days, I wouldn’t hear anything from her. Knew something was up, so I decided to check into it and see where she was going. I hacked into the phone company and searched her call history and tracked her phone. Found out she was cheating with some guy from her office. I threatened to tell Dad, and instead of ending things with the guy, she called the cops and told them what I’d done. I ended up spending a year and half in prison.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. Your own mother turned you in? That’s crazy.”
“Yeah, well crazier shit has happened. When I got out of jail, I left my life as Michael Davis behind and started over.”
The hurt in his eyes pulled at me, so I placed the palm of my hand on top of his. “I’m really sorry.”
He pulled his hand from mine as he crossed his arms and said, “Nothing to be sorry about. In the end, everything turned out the way it was meant to. This is where I belong.”
“I guess, but it seems like a hard way to get where you’re going.”
“Sometimes the hard way is the only way to go.”
“What about Nitro? What did he go in for?”
He shrugged. “No idea.”
“You were in jail together for a year and a half, and he never told you why he was there?”
“Nope. That’s the thing about Nitro;
he knows when to keep quiet. It’s one of the reasons he’s been able to do as well as he has. People trust him to keep his mouth shut.” His lips curled into a mischievous grin. “It’s a talent some people don’t have.”
He looked at me with a sexy little smirk. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “The man has jokes.”
“From time to time.” He got up and took our empty bowls to the sink. “I figure Nitro wouldn’t have gotten put away unless he wanted to.”
“What do you mean?”
“He went in as a small fish in a big, fucking pond. Came out with new connections, new clientele, and now he’s one of the biggest damn fish out there.”
“So, you think he went to jail on purpose?”
“I always thought so.”
“That’s pretty screwed up. You know that, right?”
“Maybe, but it worked.” He stretched his arms above his head as he yawned.
Remembering that he still hadn’t slept, I reached for the box of cereal and took it back over to the cabinet. Once I’d shut the door, I looked over at him and said, “I guess I should let you get some sleep.”
He nodded and followed me down to Tristen’s room. I opened the door, and just as I was about to step inside, Big said, “I’ve got something to tend to tomorrow.”
“Okay.” I wanted to ask him where he was going, but stopped myself when I remembered our argument from earlier. He’d made it clear that I wasn’t supposed to ask questions, so I kept my mouth shut.
“I’ll have Cass come by in the morning. Maybe she can run you over to your place to get some of your stuff.”
A thrill shot through me when I thought about going back home, but it was short-lived. I quickly realized going home would mean leaving the clubhouse and my only real connection to my sister, so I decided I didn’t want to leave. I told myself I wanted to stay because of Tristen, but in my heart, I knew she wasn’t the only reason. “That would be great.”
“Good. I’ll check in on you when I get back.”
He paused for a moment, staring at me with a heated look, and then, without another word, he turned to leave. Disappointment washed over me as I watched him walk down the hall. As much as I hated myself for it, I wasn’t ready for him to go and had to fight the urge to call him back. I knew I needed to guard my heart and keep my distance, but each time I was around him, I lost a little of my resolve. Before I did something I would regret, I quickly shut the door and crawled back into bed. I pulled the covers close around me, snuggling and trying to settle the storm of thoughts that kept spiraling in my head. Tristen. Big. The Calaveras. Nitro. The club. It was all too much. Thankfully, between my full stomach and the pain medication, I didn’t have any trouble falling asleep.
Chapter 9
Big
I was beyond exhausted, but sleep just wouldn’t come. I tossed and turned, but nothing could get her out of my head. Our conversation about my past kept playing in my mind. I meant it when I said there was nothing for her to feel sorry about. I’d made my own choices, and the consequences were mine to bear. Surviving the hard times let me know what I was made of and how much hell I could really take. Between jail, Baker and his thugs, and all the other shit in-between, I learned early on I could take a hell of a lot. Each time I was knocked down, I learned to build myself back up, make myself even stronger, smarter, and in the end, I survived and I’m living the life I wanted to live. That’s all that matters. I’m not sure a girl like her could ever get that, especially when everything had been laid out on a red carpet. She’d had her hard times, but the real test – the one that would determine what she was really made of – was yet to come.
I had an early meet with Nitro to discuss what he’d uncovered, so I did my best to clear my head and get some sleep. I’d barely dozed off when my alarm went off. I jumped in the shower and headed out. The sun was just starting to rise when I pulled out of the gate and headed over to Nitro’s place. There was no way of knowing what he’d found out, so I didn’t bother telling Josie where I was headed. If he’d gotten bad news, he’d just blurt it out. It wasn’t his style to sugarcoat anything, so I figured it would be best for me to come alone. When I walked into his office, he was leaned back in his chair sipping on a cup of coffee.
His feet were propped up on the desk and his ball cap was pulled down low, covering his tired eyes. He looked down at his watch and shook his head. “It’s too damn early for this shit.”
I took the seat in front of him. “Figured you’d been up for hours.”
“I have been.” He took a long drink of his coffee. “Still too damn early.”
“Quit whining and let me know what you found out.”
He dropped his feet to the floor and sat up in his chair. “My guy said they’ve got some big buyers coming into LA in a couple of weeks.”
“What kind of buyers?”
“The kind looking to buy themselves a pretty, blue-eyed blonde. These guys come from all over the world and are willing to pay a pretty hefty price for the right girl.”
“You think that’s what they’re planning to do with Tristen?”
“She has the look they want.”
“But how can we be sure that’s what they’re planning?”
“There’s no way to be one hundred percent without seeing her for ourselves, but my guy had connections to Victor Aguilera, and he has a girlfriend named Lisa.”
“Damn.”
“They’ve got her. I feel it in my gut.”
“Any idea where they’re keeping her?”
“Nikko thinks they’ve got her holed up in Santa Fe Springs, a town close to LA. They’ll have her hidden away in some warehouse or a member’s home. Figure they’ve got her pretty heavily drugged and guarded around the clock.”
“This is crazy, brother.”
“Yeah, but there’s money in this shit, Big. Lots of it. Some of these girls go for up to three hundred grand.” He finished off his cup of coffee and reached in his pocket for his pack of cigarettes. After lighting one up, he continued, “The buyers will expect their girls to be unmarked, so I figure they’ll treat them differently than the girls they use for their prostitution ring. That’s a good thing for Tristen.”
I didn’t see anything good about it. The thought of Tristen chained to a bed and drugged out of her mind made me sick to my stomach. She was a good kid and deserved better than that shit. Hell, a damn dog deserved better than that shit. “How do we get her out?”
“We don’t. Not without a war.”
“War isn’t an option, Nitro. We don’t have the kind of manpower we’d need to go up against them, not for something like this.”
“There is one thing we could try,” he started as he took another puff from his cigarette. “I’ve got some connections. I could use them to get in on the auction. I’ll do whatever it takes to get the highest bid and …”
I leaned forward in my chair as I finished his sentence. “Buy her?”
“Yep. That’s what I was thinking. We could just pay them outright. It’s the only chance we have to bring her home without causing some rift.”
“I don’t know, Nitro. That shit sounds pretty fucking risky, and that’s a lot of money.”
“Maybe so.” He placed his elbows on his desk and smoke billowed around him as he leaned towards me. “But have you got any better ideas?” When I didn’t answer, he snickered. “Me either. They’ll bring the girls into LA for the auction in four days. That gives us a little time to get things prepared. Until then, we lay low. If they have any idea what we are up to, we’re all dead.”
“I gotta run this thing by Cotton.” I stood up and started towards the door.
“Knew you would. Tell him I’ve got it covered.”
“Will do.” I remembered I hadn’t gotten back to him about the new contacts, so before I walked out, I said, “Forgot to get back to you about your boys. Tate is legit, but Ballard doesn’t feel right. Give me a little more time with him.”
“I’ll touch base
with Tate. Thanks, brother.”
“Anytime.” I headed out to the parking lot and got on my bike. We’d had another shipment going out, so I knew Cotton would be working in the office for most of the day. Since he was expecting to hear from me, I headed straight there to fill him in on what Nitro had uncovered. As expected, when I walked into the office, he was sorting through a stack of files. I walked over to him and asked, “Got a minute?”
“Got a few.” He placed a file down on his desk as he leaned back in his chair. “What did you find out from Nitro?”
I could see the disgust creep across Cotton’s face as I repeated everything Nitro had told me about Tristen and the Calaveras. Once I was done, he leaned against the counter and growled, “Fuck.”
“It’s not perfect, but it could work. It’s a lot of money.”
Cotton didn’t even bat an eye when I brought up how much it could cost to get Tristen back. The club has always done well, money was always there if we needed it, and if spending a shit ton now meant keeping us out of war, Cotton wouldn’t think twice about it. “You’re right. The plan isn’t perfect, but it’s the only chance we’ve got of getting our girl back. Do what needs to be done. Money isn’t an object. Tell Nitro we’ve got it covered.”
“The auction is a few days away. We’ll head out tomorrow night to make sure we’ve got everything covered.”
“Good. Get with Stitch. Fill him in on all the details and let him know when you plan to leave. Get Maverick too, if you think you’ll need him.”