Hard Mistake (Notus Motorcycle Club Book 4)

by Debra Kayn

  Chuck reached into his vest pocket and grabbed his phone.

  "Wait." Erikka took his phone out of his hand. "Tony's been hiding and running trying to keep ahead of Mr. Markham's men. Markham set him up and framed him for stealing the money. H-He has proof that Markham took the money as part of using the funds that he needed to run the illegal gambling. Tony said the money usually showed up the next morning, in his deposit for the blackjack table, once Markham gathered the winnings from the underground games. Because Tony ran the blackjack table and had access to the paperwork that went with the deposits each dealer handed into the casino, he picked up on the discrepancies. Before he could tell the casino, Markham threatened to kill his mother and make sure Tony didn't make it out alive in prison for taking the fall. Then, the police walked in and arrested him."

  "That doesn't explain how he ended up with Rachel," said Chuck, grasping at all the holes in the story.

  "I was dating Tony." Rachel sighed, glancing at her sister. "I'm sorry I never told you. It was my fault for keeping it a secret. Since Tony worked at night, the only time we were able to see each other was during the day when I was working at Bail Bonds." She turned to Chuck. "I'm the one who makes the runs to the courthouse and visits the non-violent clients at home. Tony would go around with me so we could be together. I thought I had too good of a thing and didn't want to jinx our relationship because I was falling in love. I wanted to keep our relationship private because frankly, I didn't want to take the chance of Erikka telling me he couldn't be with me while I worked."

  "You could've told me when we posted Tony's bond after his arrest," said Erikka.

  "Really? Would you have introduced your boyfriend to me while he was being charged for stealing money?" Rachel raised her brows. "I knew, going by what Tony told me, that once he went to court with the proof, they'd dismiss his charges once he could prove that he was innocent."

  "Oh, Rachel." Erikka shook her head. "You have no idea the mess you created."

  "I know, now, but that day when we went to his sentencing, Mr. Markham showed up at the courthouse to make sure Tony pleaded guilty and took the fall for the crime. He took him into the restroom and Tony had to hand over the paperwork he'd brought with him to prove his innocence. When he walked out, he was devastated. There wasn't enough time to collect the other copy, which he secured in case Markham caught him—which he did. It was my decision to slip out of the courthouse through the employees-only door. We were going to go back to my house and call the police, tell them what we knew while trying to get protection for Tony. There was only one day between his arrest and his sentencing date. Markham had his men watching Tony twenty-four/seven."

  "Why didn't you follow through with that plan?" asked Chuck.

  "When we arrived at my house, it had been broken into. Tony was scared Markham's men would hurt me if he were sent to jail until everything got cleared up. We took the money I'd saved for Italy and flew to Cabo San Lucas to try and solve all this without Tony going to prison and Markham's men pressuring us. He was going to have the proof mailed to him in Cabo but thought better of it once we started listing everything that was happening. His mom couldn't defend herself against Markham." Rachel took a big breath.

  "You never thought to call me?" asked Erikka. "I could've helped. It's what we do, Rachel."

  "We didn't want to involve anyone. At that point, Tony was a wanted man for missing his court date." Rachel heaved a sigh. "When we decided to come back to St. John's, I tried to call you from the airport in Cabo. The call wouldn't go through."

  "It went through..." Erikka rubbed her forehead. "You didn't say anything."

  "God, Erikka. I'm so sorry. We had no way of finding out what was happening back here though. We've been hiding in some apartments that are managed by one of Tony's friends." Rachel turned to Chuck. "We've been trying every day to get to Tony's mother's house, where he has the copies of the books belonging to the casino, and we can't. Markham has his men all over the neighborhood."

  "That's when she put the rocks in the mailbox," added Erikka. "She thought she was just letting me know she was back and still helping Tony...thinking I knew what she was up to."

  Rachel kissed Tony's lips and rubbed his cheek as he began to stir back into consciousness on the floor. "I can't believe you knocked him out after everything he's been through."

  "Believe it," muttered Chuck, glaring at the two sisters. "Did you not think of the fucked-up mess you left Erikka? She believed you had been abducted, and because of how long you were gone, that in her head, she believed you were dead."

  Rachel fell back on her ass and tears filled her eyes. "No, because I thought she got the note I left for her telling her who I was with and where we'd gone. I put it on her desk the night we left for Cabo."

  "Why weren't you picked up on the security camera?" he asked.

  "Because I came through the front door and I know where to walk so nobody could see Tony, who was with me," snapped Rachel. "I didn't plan on hurting Erikka or making her think I was kidnapped. My God, what kind of sister do you think I am?"

  "You don't want to know," said Chuck holding out his hand to Erikka. "Give me my phone."

  "Listen, Chuck. Rachel had no idea Mr. Markham's men broke into the Bail Bonds' building the same night she left a note. They could've taken the note, or I could've tossed it thinking it was trash. It wasn't until Rachel came to me just a little bit ago that I could tell her that Mr. Markham was arrested for a different crime and was in jail, and it's safe for Tony to seek the police's help without any fear of Markham or his men killing him. That's better news than they were hoping for. She came to me, because they'd run out of ideas on how to prove his innocence, and wanted my help in contacting the police privately to get protection so he could tell his story. We need to help them now."

  "She should've done that the minute she landed, or better yet, not gone on the damn plane to start with." Chuck's anger wasn't dissipating. "Instead, she had Markham harass you."

  "What? He hurt you?" said Rachel.

  Erikka waved her hand. "I'm fine."

  Tony groaned and sat up, rubbing his jaw. "Fuck, man."

  Erikka stepped closer to Chuck and whispered, "He is going to call the police. He promised me. But, he wanted me to keep Rachel safe. He knew he couldn't keep hiding, and now that they know Mr. Markham can't hurt anyone he loves, he wants to turn himself in. I'm just glad that Rachel finally contacted me so I could tell her that Tony was also wanted for kidnapping her. She wants to clear up the misunderstanding with the police and let them know she voluntarily went with him."

  "They're going to arrest her." He lowered his voice. "This is bigger than a misunderstanding."

  "I know, and I think it's sinking into Rachel about what she's done. But, she trusts Tony, and he says he can prove that he's innocent and what he knows will bring more charges down on Markham." Erikka shivered. "I knew that man was dangerous but hearing what he's capable of makes me glad he didn't do more to me."

  A low rumble shook the house. He backed Erikka into the corner of the room, taking his phone out of her hand. "In a few seconds, Notus is going to burst through that door with their pistols raised, thinking there's trouble in here because my bike is parked outside. Stay put."

  When she obeyed, he turned around. "Rachel, come stand by your sister."

  "I'm not leaving To—"

  "Now." He pointed, done playing the listener. "Things are going to move fast. I want you both on that side of the room until the police get here."

  Rachel looked at Tony, who nodded and told her to go. She kissed him and then joined Erikka, glaring at Chuck the entire time. He'd seen that look before on her sister. It failed to move him.

  He found the contact number for Lieutenant Gomez and connected the call. Unable to make heads or tails of the different story told to him, he'd let the police sort it out.

  Rachel and Stoddard could straighten their own life out. Erikka's sister would be lucky if she weren't thro
wn in jail for aiding and abetting a felon. While the police took care of them, he planned to take Erikka home and put their world back together again.

  "Chuck?" Erikka touched his back. "I'm going to the police station with Rachel."

  He reached out and held on to her arm, finished his phone call, and turned his attention back to Erikka. "The hell you are."

  She scoffed. "You can't keep me from helping my sister."

  "Watch me," he said.

  "Why are you acting like that? You knew I would do anything to get my sister back and she's here now. I will help her." She lowered her voice. "She could be in a lot of trouble, and I will be there to bail her out until we can get this all straightened. I know you don't know her, but I believe her when she says Tony is innocent. You, yourself, remarked about how it was his first crime and things weren't adding up when we were trying to figure out where and how to search for her."

  "I thought I'd lost you today." He leaned closer to her face and whispered, "I won't allow you near anyone who brings danger to your life. Far as I'm concerned, Stoddard needs to be hung for bringing Markham near you."

  "But, —"

  "Not another word," he said.

  The door banged open. Chuck stepped in front of Erikka and put his hand up. "Don't shoot him. He never kidnapped Rachel...or Erikka." He glanced behind him, hoping he'd made his point with Erikka, and then turned around to Wayne, Glen, and Thad. "There's been a misunderstanding."

  Sirens came from outside. He motioned for the Notus members to step back. The police were here, and he wanted nothing more to do with Tony Stoddard and Rachel Levenson.

  Chapter 32

  Chuck took his second beer out of the fridge. Popping the top, he drank long while returning to the living room. Last time he'd had a drink, Thad had gotten married, and he'd cut the celebration short to go meet Erikka. He was long past due for a cold one or six.

  A commercial came on the flat screen. He picked up the remote beside him and flipped through the channels until he found an MMA match.

  He drank his beer and watched two men try and beat the shit out of each other. Chuck had let more fists fly growing up because of Rich poppin' off on someone bigger, stronger, older, and had to join the fight to save Rich's ass. He exhaled loudly. Starting tomorrow, he'd put in extra time to search for Rich, now that the search for Rachel was over. Maybe dig deeper around the motorcycle clubs on the west coast for any sign of his MC brother.

  His already bad mood grew worse.

  He let his head fall back on the couch. The alcohol was doing nothing to help him calm down after believing Erikka was lost to him. Lost to him like Rich, like Thalia, and the hundreds of other missing persons he'd searched for and never found.

  It frustrated him off that she'd followed all the police cars away from her house when they hauled in Stoddard and Rachel. She couldn't do a damn thing at the station while they went through questioning. She should've come home with him. He finished his beer and set the empty bottle between the couch cushions. Just knowing she was in the same fucking building where Markham was jailed and could see her if she wandered downstairs pissed him off. Not to mention, she disregarded him telling her not to go.

  Pissed off enough, he refused to go, and instead had Gomez promise to see Erikka to her car in the parking lot when she finished and give him a call when she left. Nobody could convince him otherwise that Markham couldn't still control his men from the inside of the jail cell.

  He picked his phone up off the couch. It was already seven o'clock. She'd been at the police station all damn day.

  His doorbell rang. He gritted his teeth and got up from the couch. If that was Erikka, and Gomez hadn't called to update him, heads were going to roll.

  He opened the door. Gracie stood in front of him.

  After several seconds, Gracie frowned. "Is this a bad time?"

  He stepped back without saying a word and motioned her in. The extra force he put behind closing the door made Gracie jump, and he inhaled deeply. It wasn't fair of him to take his mood out on her.

  "What's up?" He walked into the kitchen, grabbed two beers, and returned to the living room. "You're out late."

  "It's still light out. I have forty-five minutes until dark." She plucked the empty bottle out of the couch and sat down. "I was over at Wayne's house earlier having lunch with Clara when he came home and filled us in that Erikka was safe and her sister was back. He mentioned you were home while Erikka dealt with family business, so I thought I'd come over and visit you. It feels like we haven't had time to talk all summer. I miss you."

  He opened both beers and passed her one. Sitting beside her, he put his boots on the coffee table.

  "You're doing good?" he asked.

  She half turned on the couch. "Yes, but you're ignoring what I said. I've missed you."

  "Miss you, too, sweetheart," he mumbled. "I've had a lot going on."

  She pushed his upper body, and her slight weight couldn't budge him. "I know that. But, how are you?"

  She wanted a rundown of his life over the last two months. He stopped partying. He stopped fucking other women. He stopped getting in fights. He stopped beating himself up every day because he'd forced Rich away from the club.

  "I'm good." He drank. "Really good. Work is the same thing day after day and brings home a paycheck. There's still time left of summer to get some decent rides in if we get a break from searching for missing persons. Erikka's falling in love with me."

  "Boom," whispered Gracie, stretching her fingers out wide in front of him. "So, why are you here and not with Erikka?"

  "She's at the cop shop."

  She shook her head. "That doesn't answer my question."

  "I told her not to go."

  "Ah, I see." Gracie leaned back against the couch and patted his leg. "So, you're upset with her."

  "Nope." He burped and took another drink. "I doubt if she's given me a second thought because she's busy helping her sister."

  "I would help Clara if we were in the same situation, and if you remember, Clara dropped everything—even Wayne, so she could be with me round the clock," said Gracie.

  The understanding in Gracie's voice only made him feel guilty. There was nothing he could've done differently. He wanted to protect her. That was more important than anything, and he had that covered with Gomez helping him out.

  "It was different with you and Clara." He took another drink.

  "Maybe," she said. "Are you planning to get drunk?"

  "Nothing else to do tonight."

  She slouched down on the couch and put her feet on the coffee table beside his boots. "Then, I'll keep you company until I have to leave."

  "I don't need anyone."

  "Of course not. You're Chuck Parker. The greatest man I've ever met. You need no one." She stared at the television.

  When she pretended to stay interested in the fight on television, he relaxed. They'd spent many nights exactly like this. Except, he was the one egging her on, trying to get a rise out of her. While everyone babied her, he'd taken a different approach and forced her to get angry. Then, he'd been there when she broke. Somehow, she'd dug deep and pulled herself back up.

  Gracie was only halfway to where she needed to be, and she might never make it, but she was living life, getting up every morning and sleeping through half the night now.

  She finished her beer and looked at him. "Do you love her?"

  "More than anything," he whispered, putting his empty beer bottle on the coffee table.

  They fell into comfortable silence. When he received a text from Gomez letting him know Erikka was on her way to his house, he watched every minute change on his phone. He'd give her fifteen minutes, and then he'd go looking for her.

  It was the longest fucking time of his life.

  When the soft knock came, and the door opened, Erikka rushed in looking more beautiful than ever. The smile she wore lit up her eyes and her flushed cheeks couldn't contain her happiness as she came into the house
. He stared as she set her purse beside his helmet on the floor. She made him ache.

  "Chuck?" She turned around, searching for him, and found him on the couch.

  The light left her. One second, she was happy. The next, everything dimmed.

  She stopped beside the chair, not walking closer to the couch. "Sorry, I didn't know you had company."

  "Gracie's not company," he said, earning himself an elbow in the side.

  Gracie held up her beer. "He makes a good hostess though."

  Erikka's eyes narrowed. He could see her working through her issues with Gracie and failing. "It's been a big day. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go upstairs and go to bed."

  She walked through the room and up the steps. Three beers weren't enough to let her get away with thinking something was going on with him and Gracie. He could be patient. He had been patient. Tonight, he was anything but laidback about her continual attitude toward Gracie.

  "I need to get going." Gracie slapped his leg, stood, and picked up all the beer bottles.

  Chuck remained on the couch. "No reason to rush off, sweetheart."

  Gracie studied him. "There actually is. It's dusk out."

  He nodded, understanding. She never went anywhere alone in the dark.

  "Want me to escort you?" he asked.

  With her arm full of bottles, she shook her head. "No, I want you to go upstairs and explain to Erikka that there's no reason for her to hate me before I lose you."

  "You're not going to lose me." Gracie was a part of his life, his family.

  "I love you enough to know when to step back so you can be happy." She paused. "Tell her."

  He rubbed his head. "It's not my story to share."

  "I'm telling you it is, so it's okay." She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to put these in the recycling bin on the porch on my way out. Go talk with Erikka and let her know what you're feeling."

  Gracie walked out of his house. Alone downstairs, he grunted. To go up to Erikka, he'd have to trust himself and right now, he still reeled thinking he'd lost her forever when she went missing. He couldn't see through to her happiness at having her sister back, though he understood her emotions. Hell, he even understood her wanting to help her sister. He'd help any one of the Notus members.