“I missed you too. Why the hell are you here?” He asks, pulling away, looking me up and down. “Everythin’ alright between you and Z—”
“Everything is perfect between us.” Zane speaks up, lookin’ right to Chains. His chest is puffed out a bit, showing my dear friend that my fiancé is dominant in every fashion.
Chains doesn’t take Zane’s word for it and meets his eyes with my own. “Everythin’ okay?”
I nod, “Yeah, it’s really good actually. I thought I’d end up hating him, but we related in a lot of ways. He was in the same position as I was you know. Our roles were just reversed a bit.”
Chains nods his head a couple of times, “I was hopin’ everythin’ would be fine between the two of you. I’m glad things are workin’ out. So, since everythin’ is fuckin’ peachy up there, mind tellin’ me why you’re here?”
“I need to speak to Breaker about a few things. But I’m more interested to know what developments have been made in the murders.” Zane states clearly. My, my. He has no problem showing everyone his presence here means business.
“Sure. I can tell you that. We haven’t made any developments. I guess we’ve figured out whoever’s behind the murders is here though. Considerin’ you brought O’ back here in perfect condition. Must mean no one followed you up to Montana.”
“Nope,” I confirm.
“I want to speak to Breaker directly and see if we can put a solid plan together. The women deserve justice, and I think it’s about time we started gettin’ on it.” Zane says. I can tell his words don’t piss Chains off, but they make Chains earn his respect.
“Perfect,” Chains looks back to me. “You need anythin’ before I take your man up to see your brother?”
I shake my head, “Yeah. Could you grab Inc and tell him to meet me in his room.”
“Sure,” Chains says.
I walk over to Zane and give him a chaste kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you when you’re done.”
“Alright. Let me know how it goes.” Zane says, rubbing my back in support.
I turn right and walk up the stairwell that leads to the living quarters, immediately go left and walk to just above the front of the bar. Inc has the room on the right, so I put my hand on the knob and turn it, going into his empty bedroom.
It feels surreal being here, or back here I should say, but I’m ready to have this talk with him. Actually, I’m more than ready.
Chapter Twenty-Three
You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do
~ Unknown
Zane
Chains leads me through another door, going further back into the building. The room has a set up like the last one did, but it’s the complete opposite. Instead of the stairwell bein’ on the right, it’s on the left. He goes up and I follow him. We make another left, neither of us sayin’ a thing until I see Breaker.
He furrows his brows together, not expectin’ me. Though, he wouldn’t. I’ve made a surprise visit. “Zane, what’re you doin’ here?” He questions, searching my face for answers.
“Thank you for escorting me here, Chains. Your Prez and I need to have a private discussion.” I speak, only lookin’ at Breaker. Octavia doesn’t know how serious this is. Over the last few weeks she and I have grown very close, which only causes me to be angrier about what transpired the day we flew out to Las Vegas.
It’s in the past, but damn I have a hard time lettin’ that sit back there. “Prez?” Chains searches for confirmation from his boss, who gives him a nod. After a moment Chains walks back down toward the stairwell, leavin’ Breaker and I alone.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” He smirks, essentially tellin’ me to fuck off.
Taking a few steps toward him, I decide to be blunt as hell. There’s no point in beatin’ around the bush, ‘cause that won’t get us anywhere. “I came here for a personal update on the progress you’ve made with your sisters’ killer, or killers. Chains mentioned you don’t have any leads, but I’d prefer to believe that isn’t accurate.”
Breaker stares at me blankly, blinkin’ a few times. “He’s not wrong. We haven’t found jack shit. O’ leaves and everythin’ stops. I expected whoever it was to start comin’ after me or Troy, but that hasn’t happened . . . which guarantees they’re only goin’ after women in the club.”
I lean against the wall as we speak freely but keep an eye out to ensure no one is listenin’. “Not just women. Your sisters. If it was the women of the club your whores would be dead too, and I saw plenty of them down in the bar snugglin’ up to your customers.” I declare.
Breaker nods, “Why don’t you come into my office. We’ll have some privacy.”
“Perfect,” I reply, following him to the back of the building. His office is the last door to the right.
He opens the door for me and I go in behind him, shutting it behind me. Breaker walks over to the corner of the room and picks up a blunt from the shelf, lighting it and taking a hit.
“You don’t have shit, do you?” I’m unable to keep my disappointment from being obvious. We’ve been gone weeks and he doesn’t have one lead. Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. The reason they needed an alliance is startin’ to make a lot more sense to me.
Breaker scowls at me, but I’m not scared. He could be terrifyin’ to someone who was a foot shorter than me, or if he was more bulked up. He’s not like average bikers, though. He’s maybe five-foot-nine, has a thin physique like those skater boys did back in the day. If I didn’t know who he was, I’d have a hard time believing a man I could snap like a twig was Prez of the Raiders.
“Who the fuck do you think you are coming into my club and speaking to me like this,” Breaker clenches his fists at his sides. “We’ve been dealing with this for years. You haven’t been here, haven’t had to bury your sisters’ bodies long before their time.” He hisses, showin’ me just how much this affects him. Seems to me like he’s puttin’ on a damn good show.
“You huff and puff how you’re angry, about how dare I get shitty with you and ask the questions no one else will. I’m marryin’ Octavia damn soon, and over my dead body will anyone try to hurt her. We don’t just owe it to your family to find your sisters’ killer or killers, but fuck, man . . . we need to put an end to this madness.” I declare, frustrated beyond measure.
“We’re working on things,” Breaker says, actin’ like that’ll shut my trap. It won’t.
“That’s not good enough. We’re here for a few days on business and I wanna make sure she’ll be safe while we’re here. I thought you might be able to guarantee that, but obviously you won’t. So, tell me what you have ‘cause I’ll do it my damn self.”
Breaker stares at me, inhaling so strongly his nostrils flare. “I don’t have much,” He grits with a glare. “But, we caught one of the men who killed Xia and Yara.”
That’s somethin’. How does he think this isn’t much? It’s an actual fuckin’ lead. “What’s the problem? You should have somethin’ by now.”
“This man isn’t talking, at all. He hasn’t made a sound. Not a scream, a plea, or a word. We’re at a dead end.” Breaker comments. I notice how his expression shifts slightly. He’s frustrated with his lack of progress as well. Lucky for him I’m here.
“No, you’re not. Where is this guy? I’ll get what I can out of him.”
“What do you expect to get out of him exactly?” Breaker asks.
“Whatever I damn well need to. Breaker, lemme make this shit real clear for you. I’ll do whatever I can, and I mean whatever is within my capabilities, to keep your sister safe. I’ll snap every man’s neck who comes across her if I have to. That bein’ said, I have no problem pullin’ out my darker side to make this weasel talk. ‘Cause that’s what’ll happen. He’ll fuckin’ talk for me.”
Breaker shakes his head, “I don’t know why you think you’ll get a different result.”
“Because I won’t hold back. I’m sure you’ve told your guys not to kill him. Yeah?”<
br />
“Of course.” Breaker replies.
“Yeah, well I won’t kill him, but I’ll damn well put him within an inch of his life. How else will you make the man talk? Only a man who fears death will give us the answers we need.”
“How do you know he fears death?” Breaker questions, not realizing just how easy his question is to answer.
“Don’t let anyone fool you. We’re all afraid of death, even those of us who say we aren’t. We’re lyin’. Now, tell me where you’re holdin’ him.”
“We have a cabin out in Angeles National Forest. It’s tucked back in the woods. Nearest neighbors are at least ten miles out. I’ll have Chains grab the truck and take you up there.”
“Great. Do me a favor and make sure your sister stays here until I get back. I don’t want her goin’ back to the hotel without me given the circumstances.”
“Will do. I’ll keep Fury with her.” Breaker replies.
I turn back and start for the door when Breaker clears his throat. I’m not sure why, but I turn back to look at the man. “I sure hope you’re right about this.”
Laughing, I reply. “Breaker, I know I’m right. Let me do what I’m the best at.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“If you love two people at the same time, choose the second. Because if he really loved you, he wouldn’t have let you fall for the second.”
~ Johnny Depp
Octavia
Feelings of anxiety and hope rush through me as I stand here, looking at the painted over brick on the back wall. Black and white portraits still hang above his bed, some of them subjects I photographed over the years and others being self-portraits of me in lingerie, or Inc and I goofing off. The perfect balance of seriousness and lightheartedness.
Inc still has that ugly cart next to his bed he uses as a nightstand. It reminds me of one of those roll away islands you can buy at IKEA, but this one is all matte black with a metal finish. There’s still the woven basket I made on the bottom of the cart. I made it with Xia a couple years ago when we went to a class downtown.
Sheer gray curtains hang from the two windows in his room. Everything appears to be the same. All except his sheets. They’re now a different shade of gray with a deep-sea blue duvet. He’s added some sort of cork style stool at the end of his bed too.
Is it weird the only things he’s added are meaningless? Should I keep holding onto hope seeing photos of us are still hanging in his room? I’ve been here for at least an hour, waiting for him to come here. He could be avoiding me and I wouldn’t blame him, but I won’t leave until we talk. It’s long overdue.
After a time of pacing back and forth through his bedroom, I sit on his bed and lean back. He has a reprinted version of Van Gogh’s café piece. Most people would put this on their wall, but Inc has never been a typical person. He secured it to his ceiling so as he lays on his bed, it’s the first thing he sees in the morning, and the last before he falls asleep. We had a deep discussion about the serenity art can bring.
I rise up all of a sudden, walk over to the Bluetooth radio Inc has on his dresser and turn it on. There’s a touch screen on the front so I tap it and A Few Things by Charlotte Lawrence and JP Saxe comes through the radio. The sweet melody pumps through the speakers and I truly listen to the lyrics like I never have before. Closing my eyes, I weave with the beat of the music until I’m dancing alone in this room. Listening to Charlotte who sings to her lover about him being one of the only things she’s certain of.
I keep my eyes closed, throw my hands up in the air like I’m in a speakeasy drifting with the music, getting high off the environment and breathe. “O’?” Inc’s voice makes me jump and I ram the back of my hip into the dresser.
“Shit,” I hiss, turning the music down a bit lower.
“What’re you doing here?” He asks, and I realize Chains didn’t tell him I was up here. Bet Chains knew he’d run and my good friend wanted me to have a chance.
“I came here to talk to you,” I start off.
Inc’s eyes search over me and he shakes his head from side to side slowly. “No, you need to go. You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m not leaving until you and I talk.” I hope I’m making myself clear. There are far too many things left unsaid between the two of us, and I won’t ever make the choice to live my life filled with regrets. If we don’t talk, I know I’ll regret this for the rest of my life.
“You shouldn’t be here, O’. You have a fiancé. You’re in a relationship.” Inc argues, trying to convince me I’m doing something wrong.
“Zane knows I’m here. He actually encouraged me to come have a chat with you. I’ve . . . I’ve been having dreams about you, Inc.”
Inc sucks in a breath and shuts the door to his bedroom, taking a few steps closer to me, but we still have about six feet between us. “Are you sleeping?” His question is full of concern. The only concern I’ve felt from him in months.
I shrug, “For the most part, but it’s choppy.”
“Have you tried melatonin? I hear that shit works wonders.”
“Inc,” I mutter, drifting my eyes down to the floor. “I keep dreaming about you. It varies from walking by you on the street with a sinking feeling in my stomach, to me . . . starting out in a sexual situation with Zane and then your face appears.” I have the courage to glance up at him, needing to know what he’s thinking about this. He looks to be disgusted, sickened even.
“Why did you come here? To tell me you’re having sex dreams about him fucking you and then it turns into me? Is that the problem, he turns to me?” He asks, showing his obvious irritation. I can see the way he grits his teeth, shaking his head in growing anger.
“No, I came here because you and I didn’t get closure. Everything happened so fast between us and I think we need to talk it out. I . . . I was so caught off-guard by everything that transpired. Inc, I . . . maybe I’m stupid for thinking this, but at the end of the day I thought it was us who was going to get married.”
Inc heads over to his tan leather armchair and takes a seat, rubbing his hand against his mouth in a defeating manner. I wait for him to say something. Anything really, but he doesn’t. He stays quiet.
“I don’t understand how we went from ridiculously happy to barely communicating with each other. You broke my heart, Inc. Don’t you see that? You broke my fucking heart. We were everything and on the same day my sisters died, you decided we were nothing.”
He tears his hand from his mouth, stands up and comes charging at me. I’m about fully convinced he’s going to slam me up against the brick when he stops. Fists clenched so tightly his knuckles are white. Nostrils flaring relentlessly. “I didn’t decide shit, O’. Your dad did, all those fuckin’ years ago. That night we both knew we couldn’t be together anymore. We both knew it and you weren’t pullin’ the band-aid off. You left me no choice, O’. Fuck! I didn’t wanna do it. I didn’t wanna fuckin’ lose the best thing that ever happened to me, but guess what, I didn’t have a fuckin’ choice . . . ‘cause you know if we had tried to run off, to escape all this madness, we would’ve been caught. You know what would’ve happened then, right? I wouldn’t have just lost you. I would’ve lost the only family I still have. O’, the only reason I’m still alive is because of you. If you hadn’t of walked by me in the back alley of that club that night . . . I would’ve blown my head off. I was a stranger, someone you shouldn’t have given a damn about, but you did. You took me to your home. You brought me here for a drink, and we talked . . . and talked and . . . you showed me how family doesn’t have to be blood.”
Tears slide down my cheeks as every memory goes back in my mind like a movie. Inc is short for Incognito. The road name is an ode to the sacrifices he made for our country. He’s the recipient of not only a purple heart, but a medal of honor. His entire squadron was fired on when he was in Iraq, and he went back for every body, even though their lives were already lost . . . he refused to leave his brothers and sisters behind. When I found him
that night all those years ago . . . he was about two seconds from pulling the trigger, from joining his brothers and sisters in death as well.
I didn’t know everything about him that day, but I grew to learn not only who he was, but what he did until I knew every little detail about him. It’s now I’m realizing what losing the club would do to him, how he’d be just as bad as the first night I met him.
Tears continue down my cheeks and I struggle to find the right words to say. That’s when something is being tossed to me and I catch it. “Open it,” He orders.
“W-what is it?” I question.
“Fuckin’ open it, O’!” He roars. I take notice how he’s visibly shaking.
I place my finger over the gold clasp and unlock the beautiful box, open it and stare at . . . my God. The tears come down quicker, faster than they ever have. This doesn’t even compare to the night Xia and Yara died in front of me.
“I was gonna propose to you. I’ve had that fuckin’ ring for over a year. Was waiting for the right moment, the perfect time to show you what you mean to me. When Yara and Xia died . . . I hated myself for not proposing to you, for not gettin’ hitched . . . ‘cause at least then I could have you. I could still fuckin’ have you in my life. Y-you can’t imagine what it’s like to know the woman you cherish more than anythin’ else in this world is movin’ on with some other man. It’s like needles constantly bein’ pushed in my chest.”
I don’t know what happens, but my knees go weak and the next thing I know I’m on the wooden floor. Kneeling and staring at the box. At the way our life could’ve been . . . and the heartache settles in even more, destroying me in a way it never has before.
I look at the box but speak to him. “There’s a way you can have me.”
Zane (Reapers MC Book 11) Page 12