by Erin Trejo
Brick doesn’t say a word so I keep my insults under control. He turns and heads out of the room.
“Call us if you need us,” Davis reminds me as Ruby comes barreling into the room.
“Skye.”
Skye pulls out of my arms and tugs her friend into a hug instead. They cry and exchange a few words before Davis grabs Ruby and tugs her from the room. I grab Skye and do the same as I take the bag from her shoulder. We all check out the area as we make our way out and around the building. Thank fuck we parked out back.
“You see anything?” I ask Brick as he climbs onto his bike.
“One dark SUV. That’s about it. I’m sure the good ole’ Sheriff is on his way, so if we ain’t answerin’ questions I’m out,” he says not bothering to look at me.
I slap a hand on his shoulder and he finally looks up at me.
“I didn’t plan it brother.”
“I know. We just spent time together. It’s kinda hard not to get attached yeah?”
I nod my head as I know exactly how he feels.
“I appreciate the backup brother,” I tell him honestly.
He nods his head and reaches for his helmet. That’s his official goodbye.
I take a step back when Skye rushes past me to throw her arms around his shoulders. I walk away and give them their minute alone as I stuff her bag into one of my saddle bags. It’s a surreal feeling knowing that she’s going to be on the back of my bike and running around with me.
I’m used to protection details, but this is very different. I actually care about her.
62
Skye
I hold on tight to Brick. I don’t want to say goodbye to him. It doesn’t feel right. None of this feels right.
Keaton drove and drove only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks. He tried to get me to eat something, but my stomach is still far too shaken up for that. He hasn’t really talked to me. He’s been on his phone when we stop, but he hasn’t really spoken to me.
I find myself wondering if I made the right choice in coming with him. I can’t say that I really wanted to go with Brick even though he did say that we wouldn’t have to travel. I’m not sure what all of this means.
The bike begins to slow as we pull off of the highway. I think we’re somewhere in Texas. The night is cool as he takes a dirt road that looks well-traveled. I can hear the booming music and cheers the farther we get down the road. My hands tighten around his waist when I see all of the bikes and cars that line the dirt parking area. What the hell is this place?
Keaton parks, climbs off, holds his hand out to me, and helps me off of the bike. He pulls his helmet off of my head and sets it on the seat.
“Remind me tomorrow that we need to get another helmet,” he says gruffly as I run my hands through my hair.
Keaton doesn’t watch me like he normally does. That hurts a little.
“What is this place?”
Keaton lights up a cigarette and blows out a ring of smoke, “There’s gonna be some shit in here and I need you to focus. You aren’t gonna like ninety percent of what you’re gonna see, but what happens has to happen. You get me?”
I shake my head. I have no fucking clue what he’s talking about. What the hell is going to happen?
“Keaton I…” my voice trails off as he scratches his jaw with his cigarette hanging between his lips.
“I can’t touch my bank accounts Skye. I have to make money somehow.” He raises his eyebrow and continues, “Illegal fightin’. I have to go in there and fight for money. I need for you to stay focused and whoever I tell you to fuckin’ stand with, you fuckin’ stand with. Yeah?”
Oh my god. No. He can’t do this. How the hell can he think to do this?
“What if you don’t win?”
His eyes flash darker in a matter of seconds.
“I have no other choice. I need to know that you can handle yourself when we get in there. If they see any sign of weakness I won’t be the only one fightin’.”
My stomach trembles as he looks at me intently. He wants to know that I can handle this. Hell, he’s going to fight with a bullet hole in his arm for fuck’s sake. He’s going to fight to keep me safe. This is a goddamn mess.
“What if I just go home?”
His brows furrow as he stares into my eyes, “Is that what you want?”
“I don’t know Keaton. It just seems like the right choice here. You’re out here doing god knows what to keep me safe. And for what?” I nearly squeal as I yell.
“We don’t know who is after you,” he reminds me.
“I know that. Fuck.”
I tug at my hair when he steps closer and flicks his cigarette to the ground. He grabs my face in his hands and stares straight into my eyes making me squirm.
“What if you go back and it’s your dad?”
His eyes dance between mine. I can see the rage and anger simmering in their depths.
“I don’t know. Why would he want me dead? It doesn’t make sense.”
Keaton’s hands fall away quickly and I watch as he takes a step back.
“You wanna go home? Say the fuckin’ words before I go in there and risk my goddamn life for you,” he snaps loudly.
There aren’t many people outside, but the ones here look over at us.
“I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.”
“Look at me Skye,” he growls and throws his hands out to his sides. “I’m doing this for you. I’m doing this to protect you.”
“Because I’m your job,” I scream back at him waiting for him to admit it, but when he fires back that’s not what I was expecting to hear.
“No. It’s because over the last few months I’ve been with you and I like it. I like when you’re around. I like when you piss me off to the point that I want to bend your ass over and spank the attitude out of you. I like how fuckin’ delusional you are at times.”
The silence between us is deep.
“You like when I piss you off?” I ask with my lips quirked slightly.
“More than I should. I’m not like you. I don’t have the name with money behind it. I don’t have a family I can run home to. I have me and this life. I’ve never wanted to settle down. I never wanted to find someone that was more like me than I’d fuckin’ realize and I sure as shit didn’t wanna find someone that could push me to my breakin’ point, but I found you. Yeah, you were my fuckin’ job the day I stepped foot into that shit town, but now? Fuck. Now it’s different.”
He steps into my space and his hands come back up to my cheeks. He pulls me closer to him.
“Now? I wanna see you when I wake up. I wanna hold you when I fall asleep. I wanna know what makes you laugh and smile. I want that little, stubborn ass of yours to give me shit when I say somethin’ to piss you off.”
“You do?” I ask as my eyes glisten with tears.
I stare into his eyes. I may not know what I’m doing, but I sure as hell want to do it with him.
“So tell me princess. You gonna do what you’re told or do you wanna run home to daddy?”
His hands slide around to the back of my neck and he jerks my face to his. His warm breath tickles my skin before his kiss ignites my body. I lean into him. I want to be as close as I can.
“No one has ever said that to me before.”
“Which part? That you’re a pain in the ass?” he chuckles which makes me smile back at him.
“Any of it. I’ll do whatever you say Keaton.”
His lips touch mine and an explosion goes off inside my body. Everything about him turns me on. I have to admit that even when he’s being a complete asshole I still find him sexier than I should.
Keaton pulls back and looks at me. It’s as if he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.
“Let’s get this over with,” he says.
He grabs my hand in his as he leads me toward the door. He nods at a few guys that loiter outside. No one bats an eye as we walk inside and the reality of what’s happening in here slams i
nto me so hard that I nearly fall to the floor.
In the center of the room is a homemade boxing ring. The men inside of it are completely covered in blood from head to toe. The gasp that comes out of me doesn’t go unnoticed by Keaton as he pulls me in closer to his side. I can’t stop staring at the gruesome scene in front of me.
“Breathe,” he leans in and whispers so I can hear him.
I try, but this is just insane. People scream and cheer. Women with small kids hanging on their hips scream louder than the men.
Keaton keeps pulling us through the crowd. My heart wants to burst from my chest. Keaton stops at the bar and calls out a few orders before asking for whoever is in charge. The girls smile at him and licks her lips before she motions for him to follow her. He grabs a shot off of the counter, tosses it back quickly, and follows her to the end of the bar.
“Who the hell is she?” the girl asks nodding toward me.
“My old lady,” Keaton replies which shuts her up instantly.
She nods her head and steps back to usher us through the door. My chest tightens as what’s about to happen runs through my mind. I don’t know that I want to see him fight anyone. It’s a scary thought now that I’ve seen what these people are capable of.
I don’t say anything as Keaton pulls me along with him down the dimly lit hallway. Nerves shake me to my core, but I have to have faith that Keaton knows what he’s doing.
“Mr. Johnson. New guy,” the girl says flipping her hair over her shoulder as she smirks at the man behind the desk.
He eyes Keaton up and down. He takes in his cut before he looks up to meet his eyes.
“What do you need?” the man asks with a gruff tone that sends chills down my spine.
“I need a fight. I’ve got a situation that needs to be handled under the table.”
The guy nods his head and waves the girl out of the room. She closes the door behind her when the man stands up from his seat.
“Brian,” he says as he extends his had to Keaton.
He releases his hold on me, steps forward, and takes Brian’s hand and answers, “Keaton.”
“Nomad huh?” Brian says eyeing his cut once more.
“Yeah. I’m not from around here, but like I said I can’t be close to home just yet.”
The man nods his head as his eyes come to me.
“Your old lady?”
“Yeah. She’s mine.”
“She the reason you’re in this mess?”
Keaton nods his head and suddenly I feel like shit again. This is all my fault.
“She’s a DeLuca,” Brian says firmly.
Both Keaton and I look at him at the same time. Keaton balls his fist at his sides like he’s ready to fight.
63
Keaton
Fuck.
Fuck.
I knew there was a risk in bringing her here, but what the fuck else was I supposed to do? I couldn’t leave her on her own after what happened at her house. This wasn’t the smartest idea either I guess.
“Calm down,” Brian chuckles as he glares at my fisted hands. “DeLuca’s are hated amongst this set.”
Oh yeah, because that really calms my fucking nerves. Skye is a goddamn DeLuca.
“That makes me feel so much fuckin’ better,” I snap at him as he just laughs.
“Give me your story and I’ll see if I believe you,” he says as he drops into his leather chair.
“I was offered a protection job. She was the job. Don’t know who the fuck is after her or why, but they came at her personally. Car bomb and a drive by,” I tell him.
He glares at the hole that’s slowly stopped bleeding in my arm and nods.
“That from the shootout?”
“Yeah. I made the choice to go under.”
“And that’s how you ended up his old lady?” the question is asked of Skye.
She looks to me quickly before she straightens her spine.
“Yes. I don’t know who is after me, but I don’t want anything to do with that life. I knew what my role would be in the family and I never wanted any part of it. I’ve been on my own for years before Keaton showed up,” she says with her head held high.
Fuck she makes my cock hard just watching her in action.
“You want the fight? It’s yours. You’re the next one up. There are a few hotels in town that we’re good with if you want me to set you up for after the fight? I wouldn’t stick around more than a few days though, but you can head out to Cali next and I’ll have you another fight set up and a place to crash. I’ll get my team on it if that’s good with you,” he offers.
I’ve never been to this particular fight club, but I’ve been to a few in my day. I’ve never had to actually fight in any of them though. This is a new one for me.
“Sounds good to me. I appreciate the help man,” I tell him as I extend my hand and shake his once again.
“No problem. What’s your last name?”
“Xavier why?” I ask as I narrow my eyes at him when his gaze moves to Skye.
“While you’re here and probably until this shit’s over you’re his wife. Skye Xavier. You aren’t a fucking DeLuca in this place if you want to walk out alive. You got me?”
I glance over at Skye as she nods her head.
“Dressing room is down the hall. You can go down there and wait. Someone will come and get you when it’s your turn. She’ll be up front on the left. Special seats for the wives.”
I nod my head and thank him again before I grab Skye’s hand and lead her out of the office. Her hand twitches slightly in mine and I know that her nerves are firing off one by one. I can’t say that I’m far behind her on that front. I know how to fight and some would say that I’m good at it, but this is a whole different world of fighting. This is a ring with no rules. You can do as you please in there and that’s the part that bothers me. I’m not a huge man, but I’m solid enough.
“Are you nervous?” Skye asks as she presses her body closer to mine.
“A little,” I admit as I hold the door open to the dressing room.
Skye walks in first with me right behind her. There are a few other guys in here just messing around and warming up. I eye each one of them wondering if they’re who I’ll be fighting. I know they don’t tell you ahead of time, but they always make sure to give one hell of a fight so I don’t doubt that I will be up against someone much bigger than me.
I pull Skye into a corner of the room and push her against the wall. My lips claim hers as if this may be the last time, and to be truthful it might be. You never know what can happen in this sort of fight and that’s nagging at me.
“I need you to listen to me real good right now,” I tell her as I rest my forehead against hers. “Whatever happens out there I need for you to stay calm and not draw any attention to yourself. Whatever you see, just fuck. Stay calm yeah?”
“This is a bad idea Keaton.”
“This is the only choice we have right now. If somethin’ happens to me, you run. You get somewhere and you call Brick to come get you. Do you understand me?”
She shakes her head and I can see tears slowly building in her eyes. I grab her face in my hands and force her to keep eye contact with me. I need for her to understand me right now.
“You fuckin’ call him and you hide until he gets to you. You understand me? I can’t go out there and worry about you Skye. I need to know that you’re safe. Tell me you can do that for me baby?”
I’m practically begging her and I don’t give a damn. I can’t put my focus into winning if I’m worrying about her. This is a game of life and death in its truest form. Fist to fist one of us is going down and death isn’t unheard of. I’ve seen it happen. I know what the outcome will be.
“But you’re hurt Keaton. That gives you a disadvantage.”
I chuckle a little, “Thanks for the confidence babe.
Skye rolls her eyes which makes me smile.
“You know what I mean,” she says softly this time.
I run my fingers along her jaw and lift her face to mine once more.
“I know. I’ll be fine. When this is all over we’re gonna hit the hotel, take a long fuckin’ shower, and then I’m gonna make you come so many fuckin’ times you forget who you are and why we’re doin’ this okay?”
Skye giggles a little and nods her head. It makes my heart swell with pride knowing that she believes in me. I’ve never had that and I can’t say that I don’t like it either. My cell rings in my pocket. I quickly grab it out and answer it.
“Yeah?”
“Keaton,” she says softly.
“Beverly? You okay?”
Skye pulls her face away from me as I listen.
“Yeah. I’m in Texas Keaton. I think I messed up though.”
“You think? What’s going on? Where the fuck are you?”
“Hell Bound MC,” she says even softer this time.
What the fuck is she doing with them?
“Goddamn it Beverly. What the hell were you thinkin’?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to end up here. I was hitching a ride and the Nomad asshole brought me here and then just left. There wasn’t anything I could do,” she cries through the line.
I run my free hand down my face. I’m frustrated as hell. I don’t need this right now on top of everything else going on.
“Goddamn it. Are you good for the night? You know I don’t want you there at all, but I’m kinda fucked right now Beverly.”
Skye watches me intently with no clue what’s going on aside from me talking to another woman. I’m sure that it pisses her off. In fact, I know it as I can see it in the look in her eyes.
“I’ll lay low tonight. There are a few girls that are okay here.”
“Good. Stay out of sight as much as you can and call me tomorrow mornin’. If I could get out of this shit I would come for you now, but I can’t,” I tell her knowing in my heart that things could get ugly for her.
I’m not on good terms with the Hell Bound and haven’t been for years now. I fucking despise everything about those bastards.
“Okay. I will. I’m sorry Keaton,” she cries as I close my eyes tightly.