by J. L. Drake
“Tess!” my mother barked from the other side of the door. “Move it!”
I opened the door, and her cruel expression lashed through me.
“You look like shit. This man has a ton of money. You better not screw this up for me.” She pinched my cheeks painfully and rolled her eyes at the rest of me. “Why he wants you is beyond me. Go!”
“Your encouragement always does wonders, Mother.”
She snickered at my sass before she walked away.
Each step took a tremendous amount of energy and willpower. I shook like a leaf as I opened the door. He was standing in front of the window looking out at the pool area.
Kill me now.
He turned to look at me, and I nearly fell over.
***
Trigger
Brick downed the neck of the whiskey before he clinked my bottle. We were in the back of my pickup truck by the pool. We had just gotten back from dealing with my North Carolina crew and needed a breather.
“You have to understand that you come after Tess. You know I’m all about loyalty, and I have always had your back. But Tess always comes first.”
“Okay.” I understood that. Loyalty was earned over time and proven in the worst situations. Based on what I did know about Brick and Tess’s past, they had a tight bond. Still, it was time to hear the truth.
He sighed and tossed a beer bottle into the trash bin a few feet away. “Clark weaseled himself into her life when she was ten, and not the way a father would.”
My grip tightened around the neck of the bottle as his words burned my stomach lining.
“Clark is eleven years older. He saw an opportunity and took it.”
Fuck. He was only twenty-one when he met her. To be so twisted at that age was something else.
“Why?” My throat quickly became dry.
He chuckled darkly then rubbed his free hand over his jeans. “Because Tess was vulnerable and needy, but mostly because she comes from a lot of money, not that she’s seen a dime of it.”
My chest ached when I remembered all the times I’d given her shit over being a spoiled princess running from Mommy.
“Did they ever…” I cracked my neck to relieve some tension.
Brick stuck his thumb over the mouth of the bottle then looked at me with the most haunted look I’d ever seen on his face.
“Don’t make me answer questions that will flip that switch of yours, dude.”
I hated to be denied an answer to something I wanted to know, and my dark expression made it clear to him he should go on.
“Come on, Trigger.”
“Brick,” I warned.
He huffed through a sigh. “They didn’t have sex until she was eighteen.”
“Least he waited until she was legal.”
“Yeah, for sex.” My head whipped over to find his jaw locked in place. “I’m telling you, Clark sank his claws into her at an early age.”
“Then, what?” I needed to know everything now, so I could deal with it.
“It’s not a matter of what. It’s that he won over her trust, messed around with her, made her fall in love with him, then saw an opportunity to secure himself in the house and married her mother. He ripped her world out from underneath her and betrayed her.”
Wait, what?
“How old was she when he married her mother?”
Brick nodded. “Eleven.”
That’s when she tried to kill herself.
“I know Clark loves Tess in his own sick way, but he loves money just as much. That way, he got both. Only took him a few years to brainwash Tess back into submission after the wedding. Hence them sleeping together on her eighteenth birthday.”
Jesus Christ.
“Clark is the only man who paid any attention to her. Her father wasn’t around, and her mother looks right through her like she doesn’t exist. Clark stole any innocence she had. You can see why she was his target. She’s pretty, smart-mouthed, and underneath her armor, she has the biggest heart, and he fucking destroyed her.”
“So, why did she come here then run back to him?”
Brick lowered his voice when Rail brought a girl to the edge of the pool and dove in.
“Something changed six years ago, and she decided she wanted to go back to the house when I wanted to leave town. No matter how many times I begged her to come, she wouldn’t budge. Whatever it was, it was important enough to keep her there, so whatever happened after that to make her leave to come to me must have been big. She lived on the streets before we met, and I know she must be lost if she went back there. Tess has a lot of demons she keeps locked up because of that house.”
The girl with Rail screamed when he grabbed her from behind and tossed her in. I spotted Peggy watching us from across the property, and when I caught her eye, she licked her fingers and motioned for me to come over. I looked away then downed my whiskey.
“What was Tess like on the streets?”
Brick chuckled then leaned back, clearly at ease with this topic.
“She was guarded and sassy, but I earned her trust. Doesn’t take long for a girl who looks like Tess to find trouble on the streets. Every guy wanted a piece of her, and every girl wanted to hate her. You can imagine how much sleep she got.”
I shuddered at the thought.
“Did she ever take you to the house?”
He folded his arms and sighed.
“Once, she tried, but we never got through the gates. She had a full-blown panic attack, and I told her it wasn’t worth it.” He glanced at me. “I’m telling you, that is not the place for her to be.”
“Trigger?” Morgan suddenly appeared next to me. “We should talk.”
Once inside, I closed the door behind Morgan and sank into my seat at the head of the table. Morgan pulled out his phone.
“You remember Harmos?”
I thought for a moment until I placed the memory.
“Yeah, nephew skimmed off the Vegas drop, and the uncle had a hand in it?”
“Yup. Well, you remember how we let the other uncle go?”
I nodded, wondering where the fuck he was going with this.
“Well, that uncle just ran his mouth to Cray. Turns out he crossed paths with your father.”
My hands drew into fists, and I steadied myself for what was next.
“Seems your father is looking to build an army and wanted him to join.”
“That so?” I bit out. “And did he?”
“Nope, said he wasn’t going up against you. Not worth it.”
“Smart man,” I muttered and thought about what my next move would be. “Any lead on his location?”
“He wouldn’t say anything much, but that he was still posing as a priest, seems to like being called Father.” He looked at me for a reaction to that, but as ironic as it was, I let it pass. “Puts up like he’s all about selling guns, but really he’s drawing in men to recruit.”
I let the information absorb without comment then drew a heavy breath.
“Who do we have right now?”
Morgan pulled out a seat and thought for a moment. “I mean, we got Ty’s replacement.”
“I want Rich here, especially while Jace is gone. Send Cooper.”
“Your father knows our men. Why not send in Peggy?”
“For what, a handy? She’s useless. Send Moe.”
“On it.”
I leaned back and tried to piece together what the fuck my father was up to. Was he building a club? Or was it a trap?
“The first key to succeeding, boy, is making others think you’re doing one thing when really you’re doing another,” he barked at me from the corner of the ring. “People are expendable, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.”
Langley stepped in front of me and rested his hand on my shoulder. I jerked back, but his hand stayed in place.
“Clear your mind, Trigger. The longer you keep him inside your head, the harder the fight will be. Focus on me, and me only.”
>
I nodded but eyed my father, who watched us. He was threatened by Langley, but needed him more. He was, after all, the only one who kept me in line when Gus couldn’t.
“Like I said,” my father slammed Langley hard on the back, “everyone is expendable.”
Chapter Four
Tess
My hands flew to my mouth as the tears flowed from my eyes.
“Hey there, Tess.” Jace beamed at me in a three-piece suit. He opened his jacket like he was impressed at how he cleaned up. “I look fucking fetchin’, right?”
I laughed at his words. How he got in here was beyond me.
“I know I’m not Brick, but can I still get a hug?”
I hurried over and wrapped my arms around his midsection. He smelled like the club, and the walls I had been carefully building started to buckle under the pressure.
I flinched when his arms tightened.
“Oh, you okay?”
I nodded while I stepped back and willed the tears away. “Just still a little sore from—” I shook off the memory. “How did you get here? They run a detailed background check on everyone. You’d have to have at least a hundred grand in your account, or they wouldn’t even consider you.”
He smiled as he sat on the edge of my dresser. He looked so different and so much more grown up. Well, until he opened his mouth.
“You’re forgetting Trigger’s rich, and he knows a lot of people.”
The very mention of Trigger’s name in such a casual way nearly tore me down. I reached behind me for the mattress and eased back to help with the heaviness.
“I suppose that’s true.” My mouth became dry.
“This room is bomb, Tess, and that bathroom! Shit, your tub is the size of my bed.” I welcomed Jace’s lack of attention to my emotional state. “No wonder Brick got you an apartment and didn’t make you slum it at the clubhouse right away.”
Trigger.
Brick.
Clubhouse.
All the words I hadn’t dared to utter since I left three and a half weeks ago. Damn, it felt so much longer, but with Jace here, it felt like yesterday. I rubbed my chest where my heart was determined to make an imprint.
I yelped when he jumped onto my bed like a seven-year-old, landing on his back. His arms went behind his head as he sighed. “I slept in Rail’s garage for a month before I got a spot in the clubhouse. I thought that was nice.” He chuckled as he wiggled into the comforter. “Now I can see why you came back here.”
I hated that he didn’t see how dark this place was for me. How much I’d died inside the past few weeks. My insides coiled, and I wanted to scream. I closed my eyes and tried to calm down, but it was hard because he kept rambling. “Why are you here?” I blurted, harsher than I intended.
He sat up and tugged at his tie, and his mood changed.
“Trigger needed to know where you were.”
My body tingled in an alarming way. There was more to this.
“Why?”
“Someone showed up and caused problems.” He wouldn’t look at me, and I wanted to question why. “Trigger just needed to know you were all right.”
Oh.
“Well,” I cleared my throat and rubbed my wrist, “as you can see, I’m fine.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He grinned, but it fell when I didn’t match it. “You sure you are Tess?”
My phone vibrated, and I pulled it from my purse.
Ven: The Wicked Witch is finally busy. You need me?
Tess: I got this one.
Ven: Okay…just text me when you’re done, okay?
Tess: K.
“How’s Brick?” I diverted the attention off me.
“Pissy.”
I felt my lips go up without thinking. Brick could be wicked at shutting people out when he was digesting something heavy.
“Give him a chocolate milk drink box.”
Jace looked at me oddly. He folded his arms and nodded for me to elaborate.
“Just something from when we were younger.”
“I’ll stop on my way home.”
Home. Ugh.
“Any tricks for Trigger?”
His words were like a physical punch to the gut.
“You should see the slaughter room. It’s permanently stained red.”
Shit.
He stood and straightened his tie in the mirror. “Even Tammy can’t get near him.” He grinned at me and missed my mood change yet again. “Well, I’ve seen you, and you look fucking sexy. I’ll report back you’re great.”
“Jace.” I huffed in disbelief that this was happening.
A knock at the door sent a jolt through me.
Oh, no!
“Jace, lose the jacket and look like you’re buttoning up your shirt.”
“What?”
“Play along, okay?” I tugged off his jacket and pushed him on the bed. Just as I settled in on his lap, the door slowly opened.
“Tessa—oh, forgive me.” Clark’s eyes narrowed in on Jace’s shocked expression. “I didn’t realize you were working.”
Like hell. The blood pumped to my face, and I hid behind my hair. My hands trembled as I pressed them into Jace’s chest.
“Close the damn door, asshole.” Jace covered my hands to hide my nerves and glared at Clark.
Clark ran his tongue across his lips as he stared at Jace, and then he looked back at me.
“Tessa, please find me when you’re finished here.”
I gave a slight nod and waited for the click of the door. I let out a long, deep breath to calm my nerves.
“Thanks for that, Jace.” I couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Shit, so you are a—an escort.”
No wonder Trigger sent him. To confirm his ex was a tramp.
My eyes welled up. This wasn’t something I chose, it was something I was born into. I had never slept with any of the men here except Clark, but that was different.
“No wonder Trigger flipped the fuck out after you left the church.”
I shifted back and covered myself up with my pathetic excuse for a robe. I shoved hard against his chest. “How dare you judge me? It’s none of your fucking business, or Trigger’s. Get the hell out, Jace, and tell him I’m just fine.”
Jace shifted on the bed and pulled his phone free.
“I gotta go.” He shrugged on his jacket and mumbled about missing his bike. “I miss having you around, Tess. I wish you hadn’t left.”
“Well, I did, so…”
“Okay, well, I gotta run.”
I tucked my hair behind my ear and nodded. I wished it was Morgan who came instead of Jace. He would have heard me.
I barely registered his hug and turned away as he left. I felt raw and exposed, and I had to get a grip on my emotions.
I locked the door, turned off the lights, closed the curtains, and curled up in a tiny ball on the blanket in the center of my bed.
Maybe I wasn’t a whore, but I sure felt like one now.
***
The next morning, Clark paced his office like a panther, while I stood like stone, curious what he had to say. I was sure it was something important.
“Are you enjoying working here?”
I felt my back go up. Seriously?
“If I did?”
“Clients are asking for you specifically now?”
“Clark,” my voice carried a warning, “I never asked to work in the house. I wanted to go back to the stage. If you want to change that, I welcome it. You made your choice, so keep your jealousy out of it.”
He thought for a moment before he came around the desk and towered over me, just like Trigger used to. His soap was different, though, and it brought back so many memories of feeling loved and cherished by him. I had to shake myself and remember the truth, that there had been an undertone of deceit the whole time, and I would do well to not forget. I took a step back. He clouded my head and confused me.
“Tessa,” he whispered and brushed my hair off my shoulder. �
��God, I have missed the heat from your skin.”
I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate, and I pulled hard from a deep place. His lips brushed my earlobe, and I turned my chin away.
“Don’t.”
“You used to love it when I kissed you here.” He pressed on the side of my neck, and Trigger flashed before my eyes.
“Stop.”
“Your body doesn’t agree with your words, sweet girl.”
I pushed at his shoulders and shoved him away before I turned on my heel and hurried to the door. It opened as I touched the handle.
My mother’s evil glance tore a hole through me. Her eyes honed in on my neck, and I felt she could see his kiss.
“Clark, honey,” she said over my head, “come to bed.”
I sighed as I moved around her. My mother’s hand snapped to my upper arm. She glared inches from my face. “Give me a reason to kick you out again, Tess. Just one.”
“Felicia.” Clark’s tone told me he knew what she was referring to. “Enough.”
Her words lashed at the deep wound. Just as she was about to let go, her hand slid down and fingered my scar.
“Sometimes you do have good ideas. Shame you can’t follow through with them.”
The air was sucked from my lungs as she slammed his door in my face.
***
Trigger
“Where?” I rolled out the map in front of Cray, the VP of the Arizona crew. Morgan leaned over the table with Gus. Brick closed the door behind him after he sidetracked Peggy, who wouldn’t take get lost for an answer.
“Here and here.” Morgan pointed to two spots that ran over Twenty-Third and Ocean Park Boulevard.
I glanced at Gus. He knew southern California like the back of his hand.
“Just an old drive-in theater. There’s a building in the back. Maybe he’s squatting there?”
I popped my neck, weighing the odds of whether this was a trap.
“Look, I have eyes everywhere. If they said they saw him, I believe them.” Morgan stood while we all sat. I knew he trusted his men, but I didn’t. I caught Brick’s eye, and he shrugged, but I could tell he wanted to follow this lead.