by Debra Kayn
When the door shut softly behind her exit, his attention veered from his MC brothers to Christina. His chest tightened in pain. He knew her every move.
When she held her breath.
When she flinched.
When she lied.
When she hummed in contentment and softened toward him.
The thought of losing her debilitated him. His hands shook, his lungs struggled to keep up with his breathing, and the weakness from not protecting what he owned overwhelmed him in a way nothing else bothered him. He wanted to go after her and make her stay.
She'd promised and proved herself to him over time that she'd never leave. He killed, stole, ran the biggest gun chain from coast to coast, and not regretted one moment.
When it came to Christina, he became vulnerable. The damn woman believed she would find Jeremy first before the club found him. Hell, he had half the members living outside of the prison walls spread around the Silver Valley, staking out the entrance and exit roads in their hunt for Jeremy.
"Jacko's spotted Christina in town." Gunner tapped on his cell phone. "He slipped out the back of his apartment and followed her to the Inn. She's checked in to Room 26."
Cam growled. When it came to Jeremy, Christina's sense of responsibility exceeded any of his power over her. She was the best thing he or Jeremy had in their life, but her inability to protect herself was going to get her in trouble.
"Jacko wants to know if he should go talk with her." Gunner held up the cell. "And if he does, will she make a scene and get him arrested?"
Cam reached down for his smokes and patted a flat pocket. Fuck. Christina took every cigarette in the house and dumped them in the fire pit in the yard the second they returned from the hospital.
"No, leave her there." Cam wrapped his arm across his stomach, held his side, and yelled, "Stache?"
The front door swung open. "Here."
"I want you to go rent whichever room is closest to Room 26 at the Inn in town," Cam said.
Stache walked out on the porch, spit over the railing into the grass, and smoothed his handlebar mustache down against his chin. "What for?"
"Christina's checked herself in and I want you to watch her room while she sleeps. During the day, someone else can guard her." Cam lifted his chin, making his point clear. "If anything happens to her, I'll come after you."
Stache shrugged. "Nothing's going to happen."
"Make sure." Cam went back inside the house, waved off the concern from the other members, and walked across the living room. "I'm popping one of those pain pills and hitting the bed for a bit. Follow up with Bantorus MC and see if they've heard anything about Jeremy."
"Will do." Willy jumped off the couch and smacked Meese on his way out.
Cam swayed, hitting his shoulder against the doorframe of his room. He grunted, shut the door, and made his way to the recliner in the corner of the room. Past the point of caring about his body, he plopped down and let the pain come.
The medication the nurse sent home with him forgotten. He wanted nothing to numb his head.
Sweat rolled off his forehead in two tracks down his temples, hitting the clammy skin of his face. The ache of Christina's leaving kept him alert.
He'd made her his woman. She'd sworn the rest of her life to him.
He closed his eyes as heaviness settled down on his body. He'd planned, used her love of Jeremy, her need for protection, her vulnerability, to make sure she relied only on him. He gave her a house, a kid, a job, and meaning. In return, he created the one person who never judged and would accept him, fucked up head and all.
Each step brought him closer to having the security of depending on her.
His body spasmed. He held his breath, trying to control his rebelling body. She'd left him.
He rolled to his hip, dragged his cell out of his pocket, and stared at the screen. Christina gave him no warning, no explanation, no excuses. He'd lost Christina and the kid within a week of each other.
They were two people in his life he needed to step back from and allow to come to their own conclusions for everything to work in his favor. His hands fell to his thighs. Not a man who enjoyed letting others decide his fate, he needed to watch his step. One wrong move and Jeremy would end up dead and he'd lose Christina forever.
Selfishly, he'd never let her go, but she'd be gone from him all the same. He needed her completely with him. She'd promised him. She wore his ring. He owned her.
He pulled up his contacts on the cell and typed a message to Pretaro, one of the guards who worked both sides at Idaho State Penitentiary. I need a meeting with Merk.
The first week home after his latest sentence and serving time in prison, he realized the direction he needed to take with his vice president. Merk had got himself in too deep and let his feelings control his actions. His anger toward Cam became misplaced. Merk needed to trust him and instead, he'd failed. The way Merk acted on the outside since Cam's return validated setting Merk up for the murder of Judge Cranley.
He needed Merk in a safe place, away from Christina and Jeremy. If Merk had acted on his emotions and turned Cam in for murdering Judge Cranley, he would've destroyed everyone Cam cared about. In the end, the bullet from Merk's pistol almost killed him.
Merk sought his opportunity to kill Cam, and he'd failed to finish his plan. He almost lost everything.
Now he had the upper hand again and the ability to set Merk free if he cooperated. Cam paid someone not connected to Moroad who would willingly step forward and provide proof Merk wasn't at the murder site. Evidence would also verify Merk's innocence in attempting to kill Cam. All Merk had to do was play by Cam's rules. Not often a man got a second chance, and he felt confident Merk would come through for him despite their history.
Depending on Merk's response, he'd make sure his vice president's stay in prison remained short. If he made the wrong choice and tried to go above him, Merk could rot in prison for all he cared.
His phone vibrated. Cam looked at the screen and started the ball rolling.
Pretaro: No.
Cam: Yes. It'll be worth your time.
Pretaro: Fuck U. They'll never grant ok this fast.
Cam: Make it happen.
Two minutes ticked by. Cam waited.
Pretaro: How much?
Cam: 20g's
Pretaro: 3 days.
Cam: I'll be there.
He deleted the conversation. Three days and he'd be one step closer to finding Jeremy with Merk's help. Would Christina come back before he left for the sixteen-hour round trip to the prison?
He let his head fall back against the chair and closed his eyes. Hell, he should go get her ass now and bring her back to the house.
She'd never find Jeremy on her own. His men watched the whole town, watched her every move, and watched all activities going on around each member of the Moroad MC. Nothing could happen without him knowing. The club was on high alert, so how could one eighteen-year old punk kid escape them all?
His gut rolled. The pain pills sat on the dresser, five steps away too far. He needed to heal and not depend on drugs to mask the pain. The sooner his gunshot wound and lung stopped bothering him, the easier he'd have taking care of business.
Damn Christina. He exhaled heavily. He needed her, and she'd left him.
Chapter Three
The gray, single-story house, no bigger than a cottage, sat neglected at the end of the dead end street. Christina gazed over her shoulder at the overgrown lawn as she knocked on Lola's door. After tossing and turning last night, she'd started her search for Jeremy after grabbing a bagel off the Inn's buffet table. She'd looked everywhere, and wasn't any closer to finding out Jeremy's location.
There was a good chance Lola knew where to find him. Jeremy took a liking to Lola from the first day he moved in with Cam, often seeking her attention when he had problems with his girlfriend. She suspected Lola's friendship with Jeremy was the main reason Tiff and Jeremy fought.
The door to the
house opened. She turned around, expecting Lola and found Bear. The amount of Moroad men who walked through Lola's revolving door never failed to amaze her.
She rocked forward, relief flooding her body at the sight of the vest, scruffy beard, and glare aimed at her. She'd gone sixteen hours without a Moroad member around to remind her of where she belonged.
"Bear?" she whispered, wanting to hug him.
Bear leaned his husky girth against the doorframe and shoved his meaty hands in the pockets of his MC vest. "What are you doing here, sweetheart?"
She moistened her lips, ignoring his question. Bear used to frighten her, until she'd learned to like the man with all his rough edges and fierceness. "Can I talk to Lola for a few minutes?"
Bear exhaled loudly. "Go home."
"I can't." She hitched her purse higher on her shoulder. "Please, Bear."
Bear's mouth thinned and he stepped back, letting Christina in the house. She walked into the house and found Lola outside a room off the hallway, wrapping a robe around her thin waist.
Christina hurried forward before Bear could follow. "Lola?"
At twenty-five years old, Lola carried a lifetime of living on her shoulders with pride and a confidence Christina lacked. Not ashamed of whoring herself out for the Moroad members, she made no excuses for how she lived.
Lola glanced at Bear before grabbing Christina's arm and pulling her into the bedroom. Inside the room, Lola swung her wavy hair over her shoulder. "What are you doing here? You should be home taking care of Cam."
"I'm..." Christina shook her head. What went on between her and Cam was nobody's business. She'd never betray Cam by speaking about their problems. Lola could come to her own conclusions about her. "Have you seen Jeremy?"
"No. I promised Cam I'd notify him if Jeremy shows up." Lola rubbed Christina's arms. "Honey, what is going on? First Merk shoots Cam, and then gets picked up for killing someone else. Cam almost dies. Now Jeremy's missing. Nobody will talk to me."
"I can't tell you anymore," Christina said.
Lola's concern and offer of friendship too much to take, Christina stepped away before she gave in to the need to talk with someone who would understand her position. As a Moroad woman, Lola wasn't privy to the business and personal side of the club.
"I need to go." Christina grabbed the handle of the door. "If Jeremy stops by here will you call me?"
Lola frowned. "You want me to get ahold of you before Cam?"
Yes. She wanted to scream her instructions and force others to hear her. "No, you can call Cam first, and then call me. Please?"
"Usually one of the bikers is hanging around here. I don't want to get in trouble." Lola blew the air out of her lungs and pressed a hand to her throat. "But, I'll try, honey. I know you love Jeremy."
Christina opened the door and stopped. "Thanks for being Jeremy's friend. I know he appreciated the relationship he had with you."
Lola's shoulders sank and her chin dipped to her chest. Christina left the room, nodded at Bear, and walked out of the house. She'd leaned on each member of the Moroad MC, the women, and the staunch rules Cam set for far too long. It was time to learn how to stand up on her own two feet. Jeremy needed her in a way Cam never would, and she wouldn't fail him.
She drove the truck back to Federal and parked at the Inn. Checking her phone for the millionth time, she headed down the block and turned on Cedar Street. She quickened her pace at the sight of the curtains opened in the windows of the Sterling Building.
Usually with Cam when she visited Silver Girls, she approached the front door out of respect for Bantorus Motorcycle Club instead of going to the back of the building. She knocked, peering through the glass.
The shadows inside moved, and then the door opened. Lilly, the owner and Ink's old lady, smiled and welcomed her inside.
"I don't want to bother you, but I'm wondering if you have a few minutes to talk with me." Christina's heart raced.
No matter how many times she stepped inside the adult entertainment business, the historically accurate surroundings of days gone by when miners, prostitutes, and parties kept the building alive filled her with adrenaline. Instead of an aura of desperate times, a sense of laughter, good times, and community within the walls welcomed her, while overwhelming her at the same time. She was a loner, and the feelings of belonging were uncomfortable and foreign.
"Absolutely. You're welcome to stop by and visit any time." Lilly motioned her over to the closest table. "Sit and talk with me. I sent Tanner with Ink to the grocery store, so I have a few minutes to do whatever I want and I'd love to catch up with you."
Tanner. Christina sat down and leaned forward. Lilly and Ink adopted one of the foster babies Christina looked after while she worked for Silver Valley Children's Society. Back before Cam forced her hand to quit and work for Moroad MC.
"How is Tanner?" Christina asked.
Lilly smiled, lighting up her blue eyes. "Wonderful. He's the smartest, most friendly, easy going boy I've ever known. He's so much fun to spoil. Right now, he's in the habit of getting up an hour after I put him to bed at night and crawling in bed with us. Ink tucks him in the middle between us, so he won't fall out and he sleeps the rest of the night. I can't even explain how it is to wake up and see the two people I love more than life first thing in the morning."
Christina swallowed the emotional lump filling her throat. "I can see how happy you are. I'm so glad everything worked out. Tanner deserved a loving family."
Lilly nodded. "But you didn't come by to ask about Tanner, did you?"
"No." Christina raked her upper teeth over her bottom lip. "I'm looking for Jeremy. He's Cam's son and he's taken off without letting anyone know where he's going. He used to date Tiff, who worked—"
"Right." Lilly frowned. "You do know Tiff quit her job, don't you?"
Christina held on to the edge of the table. "No. She told me she enjoyed working for you."
"I thought so, too." Lilly crossed her legs. "She missed a day of work and the next day before I could ask her if everything was okay, she up and quit with no explanation."
"Is she still living here?"
Lilly hooked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Katie helped her move out. She's young and didn't have many things to pack. She left the building within an hour of quitting."
"Do you know where she went?" Christina forced herself to stay in the chair. Maybe Tiff took off with Jeremy, and he wasn't alone.
"No, I'm sorry. Tiff never mentioned where she was going to live and I didn't ask," Lilly said.
"Is Katie here?" Christina stood.
"I can find out for you." Lilly got to her feet and paused. "How long has Jeremy been missing?"
"Eight days," Christina said.
"Is Moroad MC actively looking for him?"
Christina swallowed. "Yes."
"I know you want to find him. I understand, truly I do. But, the more I think about the situation, I think you need to go through your club to find him. Bantorus..." Lilly rounded the table and grasped Christina's hand. "I don't think Ink or Bantorus MC would appreciate me stepping into Moroad business. Katie's a Moroad woman. You should talk to her outside of the Sterling Building, okay?"
"I'm sorry." Christina straightened. She knew better. Club always came first and Bantorus and Moroad kept their business separate. "You're right."
The only plausible place away from Silver Girls to find Katie would be at Cam's house. She wouldn't risk going back home. Cam would never let her leave again if she showed up on one of the nights the women stopped in. For all she knew, Cam would shoot her if she drove up to the house. She'd broken her promise to him and accepted the consequences of her actions.
She squeezed Lilly's hand and walked out of the building. On the sidewalk, she gazed up and down the bare street, expecting one of the Moroad members to stop her in her search. Her mood sunk. She took her phone out of her purse and texted a quick message to Jeremy.
"Please reply," she whispered, sta
ring at the screen.
The low battery icon blinked. She walked toward the Inn, glad she carried the charger in her purse. Her fear of being in the truck, alone, and without a cell phone to use meant carrying the multi-adapter for plug-ins or cigarette lighter with her when she went away from the house.
Traffic coming off the ramp from Interstate-90 zipped past her. She looked both ways, waited for a lull in traffic, and jogged across the street into the parking lot of the Inn. A group of tourists stood around talking to the left of the main doors. Keeping her eyes straight ahead, she walked past them and took the elevator to her room. After she charged her phone, she'd call information and see if Tiff's mom had a listed phone number.
Maybe if she got lucky, she'd find Jeremy with Tiff.
She lay down on the bed. Her mind continued going in all different directions and her body refused to relax. She worried about Cam at home by himself. Was he taking care of himself? Was he eating? Was he leaving his stitches alone?
The charging button on her phone flashed red. She tapped her fingers on the mattress. She could call home and talk with Cam, find out if he needed anything. No, he'd only force her to come back.
She blew out her breath and rolled over. There was no middle ground when it came to Cam.
He worked hard.
He gave everything to the club.
He loved deeply.
If she contacted him, he'd say or do something that'd have her running home before she thought twice. She closed her eyes. For the last three years, she believed whatever came into her life, she'd handle. Until Jeremy went missing and put his life on the line, she thought nothing would make her leave Cam.
She couldn't stand back and let Cam handle Jeremy's betrayal to the club the way Moroad handled everything. She brought her legs up to her chest and sighed. The current situation between Cam and Jeremy was partly her fault. She knew Cam forged the documents stating Jeremy was his biological son and never turned him in. She couldn't. She loved him. The authorities would throw him back in prison, and she couldn't lose him again.