by Carol Dawn
“That was my idea,” I say.
“Why does that not surprise me?” Arabella says with a smirk.
“Anyway, I came over to get Bella and Sophia,” Rose says. “Bear is waiting for you all to join him.”
I hand Sophia over to Rose and turn to Arabella.
“Will you be okay?” I ask her.
“Of course, Blake. I’ll be fine. Rose can help me if I need it. Go do whatever it is you need to do.”
I reach up and gently stroke her cheek. “So beautiful,” I murmur.
I lean in and lightly kiss her temple. Her face is almost completely healed of any marks or bruises. But her head is still wrapped in gauze and will take a while yet to fully heal.
“Whoa,” she gasps.
“What?” I ask frantically. I’m looking around to see if anyone bumped into her.
“I think I saw you for a split second when you were backing away,” she says excitedly. “It wasn’t very clear, and it vanished really fast, but it happened. I know it did, Blake. I saw you. I saw your smile.”
Fuck.
“That’s wonderful, baby,” I tell her as I grab her hand and put it against my lips. “Yes, I was smiling. I still am. I can’t seem to stop when I’m around you. You amaze me. You’re so fucking strong, even when you’re scared.”
“CHURCH,” Prez yells.
“Rose, can you show her where my room is if she gets tired?”
“I got her, Chains,” Rose replies.
I give the hand I’m still holding against my face one last squeeze before letting her go and walking away.
This better be fucking important.
“I know that look well, my friend,” Bear says from his seated position at the long table. “It never gets easier leaving them behind. Even if it is just in the other room.”
I’m the last one to enter the room so I shut and lock the door behind me.
“You don’t need to worry about your women,” Hawk says as he points to multiple screens showing the security camera feed. One of which shows Rose and Arabella sitting on the couch with Sophia asleep in Rose’s arms. “Our security is so tight that a gust of wind would have trouble getting through.”
“Alright, have a seat,” Bear says. “While I was at Chains’ house earlier today helping Rose get it ready for the girls, I got an interesting phone call from a Special Agent Tom Murray with the DEA.”
“Drug Enforcement?” Brick asks.
“Yep,” Bear says. “The Infernal Sons is under investigation for illegal distribution of Cocaine.”
“What the fuck?” Ink shouts.
“Let me finish,” Bear says. “I just got out of a meeting with Special Agent Tom Murray and he told me that bags of cocaine have hit our fucking streets.”
“First off,” I say, trying to keep my anger in check. “We keep these streets clean. And, second, why the fuck would he think we’re involved?”
“That’s the big fucking problem,” Bear growls. “On every single bag is our fucking logo. Clear as day. You can’t mistake it.”
As Vice President, my seat is right next to Bear. So, the second he pulls out a clear, mini zip lock bag, my eyes zero in on the inflamed motorcycle logo right on the front. It doesn’t say Infernal Sons, but you can’t mistake it for anything else.
“That’s not all,” Bear says. “Right before you all got here, I got a phone call from Mac.”
“Soul Searchers President, Mac?” Trigger asks.
“Yea, his guys have already found seven people with these on them,” Bear says, throwing the bag on the table in front of him. “Whatever the fuck is going on needs to stop before this starts a war between the Infernal Sons and the Soul Searchers.”
“Did Mac find out where they’re dealing from?” Hawk asks.
“No,” Bear answers. “But Tom Murray may have let the location slip of where he and his team keep finding them here in Lebanon.”
“So, does that mean it’s only happening here in Lebanon and over in Miamisburg?” Slim asks. “There are a few small towns between us. Why only these two locations?”
“As far as we know it’s only here and Miamisburg. As for why, that’s where you come in, Slim,” Bear says. “Dig around. Ask questions.”
“I’ll go with him,” Hawk says.
“No, I need you to go with Chains.”
“Bear, you can’t send Slim out on the streets asking questions about this shit,” Hawk growls.
Bear takes a second to look at his brother before he answers. “I wasn’t going to. You interrupted before I could finish. Slim will be going to Miamisburg to help the Soul Searchers. Mac needs help with breaking into some security feed. Brick will be going with him. Slim will be perfectly fine.”
Hawk glances over at Brick before nodding and leaning back in his chair.
“Where do you have me and Hawk going?” I ask Bear.
“I need you and Hawk to go to the old covered bridge on Ember street and buy some snow.”
“You do realize your brother is probably the worst person to send, right?” I ask. “Let’s ignore the fact that he’s huge as fuck and focus on the part where he has your face. Everyone knows who we are, but your face is practically our banner.”
“He’s your backup,” Bear says. “He’ll stay hidden unless he’s needed. I need you to buy a gram, get all the information you can and get back here as soon as possible.”
“Remember those transmitters we found planted in the club a while back?” Slim asks. “Well, I made something similar.”
He looks down at his feet.
“What is it, Slim?” Bear asks.
“I’m afraid you’re going to be mad at my reasoning,” Slim answers.
“Phoenix, it’s alright,” Hawk says. “I’m sure whatever it is isn’t bad.”
Slim sighs before looking back up at Bear. “I used the idea of the small wireless transmitters to make a mini GPS tracking device.”
Slim holds up his wrist showing the black wrist band with Infernal Sons engraved onto it.
“I placed the tracking device inside this band,” he pauses. “And inside the one I gave to Rose.”
The room is silent.
“That was a fantastic fucking idea,” Bear grins. “I worry all the time over that woman. Next time just tell me, man.”
Slim lets out a deep breath. “I will. I can show you how to track her if something ever happens in the future. The only thing is, every device will show up on your screen. As of right now, it’s only me and Rose but they’re labeled.”
“Can you make one for Arabella?” I ask. I love this fucking idea.
“Only if she wants one,” Slim says. “I won’t secretly tag anyone.”
“Does Rose know?” Bear asks.
“Yep,” Slim says with a grin. “It was practically her idea. I just made it happen.”
“Why do you have one?” Hawk asks curiously.
The grin on Slim’s face vanishes and he stutters.
“Oh, Uhm, no reason really.”
“Can you show me how to track the devices as well?” Hawk asks.
“Uhm, yeah. Sure.”
“I think everyone should learn,” I say. “Never know when we’ll need it.”
“I brought all this up because I have an idea,” Slim says. “What if Chains or Hawk slip the tracking device onto the person who sells to them? Then you can track them back to their location.”
“I think that band would be noticeable,” Ink says.
Slim removes his bracelet and messes with something along the inside. A few seconds later he pulls out a very small black square.
“This is a micro tracking device,” he says with a smirk. “It’s small enough to fit on your fingertip, completely waterproof and can be placed undetectable in almost anything.”
“What about the distance?” Trigger asks.
“The signal is bouncing off four different GPS satellites. We’ll get clear readings at least from here to Miamisburg. Maybe a little further,” Slim
says. “Slip this in someone’s pocket and they’ll never know.”
Slim walks over to Bear and hesitatingly hands over his tracking device. “I only have two made right now, so you can use mine,” he says, softly.
I wonder why he’s so reluctant to go without it?
We spend the next half hour learning how to track the devices with our phones. Then Slim and Brick head off to Miamisburg, much to Hawks protest, to help Mac.
“You two are just going to have to go hang around Ember street until you find someone who is selling what we need,” Bear tells me and Hawk. “Get all the information you can without sounding suspicious then slip this little number on them somehow.”
Bear turns to his brother. “Hawk, try to keep your head down. If you can avoid being seen at all, that would be best. I don’t want whoever is trying to frame us to know that we’re on to them.”
“Let me go see how Arabella is doing and then we can go,” I tell Hawk.
Whoever is selling cocaine on our streets, using our fucking name, is in for a huge awakening.
Chapter Twelve
Chains
I find Arabella in the lounge room sitting on the couch.
“How are you doing?” I ask her as I flop down and place my arm behind her on the couch.
She shrieks and jumps back.
“Don’t do that! You scared the life out of me,” she pants.
“I scared her, too,” Ink says. “And all I said was hi.”
“I’m blind, remember?” she says. “How is it that none of you make a sound when walking? I hear Rose just fine and I know she’s much smaller than the lot of you.”
“That’s because she’s a klutz and trips over her own feet at least once a day,” Bear says as he sits down in a chair and pulls Rose and Sophia onto his lap.
“Hey there, pretty girl,” Bear says to a wide-awake Sophia.
“Who all is here?” Arabella asks.
“Well,” I say looking around. “Apart from us, there is Bear, Trigger, Rose, Ink, Hawk, Cici, and Mandy.”
“Cici and Mandy?” She asks. “Who are they?”
“We’re club bunnies,” Mandy says from her seat next to Trigger.
“Club bunnies?” Arabella asks with a tilt of her head.
This isn’t a conversation I want to have with her right now.
“I’ll explain everything about club life to you tomorrow,” I tell her. “For now, I have to go somewhere. I shouldn’t be gone long but I can’t say for sure how long I’m going to be.”
“Is everything okay?” She asks.
“Yeah baby,” I answer. “Just some club stuff I have to do. If you get tired before I get back, head up to my room and get some sleep. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go home.”
“Are you leaving right now?”
“Here in a few. I want to spend a few minutes with you first,” I say with a wink. Then feel stupid because she can’t see me.
With a pretty blush, she leans back into the couch and I have no choice but to run my fingers through her beautiful hair. I couldn’t stop myself even if I wanted to. I have this urge to constantly be touching her.
She rests her body even further into my side and appears to be listening to everyone talk. There isn’t a single individual conversation going on. Rose and Bear are talking about Sophia. Cici and Mandy are talking about some show they want to watch, Ink and Hawk are trying to talk Trigger into cracking a smile.
Trigger just looks like he wants to punch someone.
I’m shaking my head at my crazy family when Arabella starts to fidget.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“Oh, it’s nothing,” is her reply.
Stubborn woman.
“It’s not nothing. Something is bothering you. What is it?”
“I can’t keep up,” she says with a sigh. “I mean, I can hear what everyone is saying, but for some reason, I’m having a hard time figuring out who is saying what. I’ve been hearing most of your voices daily for weeks now. You would think I would know who is saying what.”
“It’s probably because so many people are talking at once,” I tell her. “You don’t seem to have a problem when it’s a conversation between a few people.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” she says. “It’s just that, sometimes, I feel like I’m floating away. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.”
I remove my hand from her hair and bring it forward to grab her hand. “I’m right here,” I tell her.
That seems to help her a little, but I can tell that she’s still uncomfortable. She crosses her right leg over her left and starts to shake her foot in a nervous tick.
Without any conscious thought, I stretch my right leg out and gently place it so that her foot is resting against the back of my calf.
Her foot stops shaking, and she glances in my direction with a small smile.
“Thank you,” she says as she gives my hand a squeeze. “That’s actually much better. I feel grounded.”
I left her hand and place a kiss on her inner wrist.
“Anytime, baby.”
We sit just like that for another ten minutes before Hawk catches my eye and I know times up.
“I gotta head out for a few now,” I tell Arabella. “Do you want me to show you to my room so you can get some sleep?”
“Uhm,” she mumbles before biting her lower lip. “I’m going to sound like a horrible mother, but I don’t feel comfortable enough to take care of Sophia on my own yet.”
I reach up and gently push down on her lip. “Don’t do that, sweetheart. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Without any will to stop, I lean forward and brush a soft kiss on her abused lip.
“Better?” I ask.
A wide-eyed Arabella gives me a small nod.
With a chuckle, I look over to Rose who is still holding a now sleeping Sophia.
“We got her, Bella,” Rose tells her. “Bear and I don’t mind watching her until Chains gets back.”
“I feel so horrible,” Arabella says. Her eyes drowning in unshed tears. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m just afraid that I’m going to hurt her. I can’t even take care of myself right now.”
“We understand, baby,” I tell her. “You’ll get through this. We’ll get through this together. No matter what the outcome.”
“Alright,” Arabella says. “Yes, Blake, I would love to lay down for a while.”
“I’m going to show her to my room, and I’ll meet you in my truck,” I tell Hawk.
I stand and gently pull Arabella up behind me. We make our way to the staircase when she trips. Before I can react and grab her, she’s already fallen to her knees.
“Ouch,” she whimpers. “What did I trip over?”
I look back to see a rug with the corner flipped over.
“The corner of the rug,” I tell her. “I’m sorry, baby, I should have noticed it and warned you.”
“No need to be sorry,” she says as she stands. “I’m not used to being blind and I know you’re not used to taking care of a blind person.”
I’m still furious with myself for not keeping my eyes open. I look at Arabella standing in front of me. I’m standing just inches from her, close enough to feel her body heat meld with mine. Yet, she looks so lost.
So alone.
My mind is no longer in control of my body. I couldn’t stop what is about to happen even if I wanted to. I take that one step forward, wrap one arm around her back, grab the back of her head and slam my mouth down on hers. This isn’t like the small peck I gave her a few minutes ago. This is a kiss that will bruise her mouth a beautiful color.
She’s frozen for a few seconds while I sip from her perfectly soft lips. Then her body goes soft in my arms as she gives in. Her lips part and I shove my tongue greedily into the moist heaven beyond her clenched teeth.
I feel her hand lay against my bicep before she hungrily pushes her tongue into my mouth trying to fight for dominance.
Not a chance, baby.
I clench my fist around her hair and gently pull her head back until her creamy throat is fully exposed for my exploration. I move from her mouth and kiss my way down until I reach her throat.
The stubble from my unshaved face marks her pale skin a bright red and I only wish it would stay there forever to let every fucker know that this woman is mine.
I get my first taste of my forever, and I know, without a single doubt, that I will drink from this woman every day for the rest of our lives.
I pull away and look down at her beautiful, frozen face.
“Wow,” she says. “That was…wow.”
“Yeah.”
There’s nothing left to say. It was simply, wow.
“Is it always like that?” She asks.
“No baby, no one will ever kiss you as I do. And no one will ever hold my heart like you do.”
Without another word, I reach down and pick her up into my arms. I’m carrying her to bed no matter how many times she says she can do it on her own.
Except, this time she doesn’t say anything. With a small sigh, she snuggles further into my arms.
***
After I tucked Arabella into bed, I checked on Sophia and then Hawk and I were on our way to Ember street.
“We should probably park a couple of blocks away,” Hawk says.
“Sounds good. Did you grab the GPS chip?” I ask him.
“Yep. Now we just need to put it on him where he won’t notice.”
“Brick would have been the best person for this job,” Hawk grumbles. “He can pickpocket like no other.”
“Yeah, for such a big guy he sure can be stealthy.”
We park behind a dumpster and walk the rest of the way on foot. I can’t see or hear Hawk, but I know he isn’t far behind.
I make it to Ember street, and I glance around trying to find the dealer. I’m not sure what they look like, but every dealer has a Tell about them. Some dealers try to blend it and not attract any unwanted attention. Others are overly friendly.
It’s dark out and hard as fuck to see where I’m walking. There are no streetlights, no homes. Just a few old buildings that were once shops but are now sitting abandoned. A good place to deal.