The only sympathetic ear Kiko would find on this compound was Mars. Well, the sole sympathetic male ear. Annette would have talked this through with him, but Kiko was unlikely to share any of this with anyone he didn’t know implicitly. And Kiko and Mars had been riding together for nearly sixty years, so there were few people he’d trust more. On top of that, humans could never really understand that bone deep ache that came from knowing the other half of you was out there somewhere.
Humans had no idea whether soul mates were bullshit or not. They didn’t know, and so, some believed and others didn’t.
There was no not believing with shifters, though. They knew, with no uncertainty, that their soul mate was out there. In the vast expanse of the world, he or she existed.
The torment came from not knowing when they existed, if they were alive now or had they died? Where were they? In the shifter’s own country or in another part of the world?
They had to trust that the Goddesses wouldn’t cleave a soul in two without intending for those two people to rub shoulders again in the future.
Annette hadn’t known she was waiting for Mars, but Mars had felt every single minute of every single hour without her.
No, Annette would and could sympathize, she’d even be a kind ear if he wanted to vent or discuss his mate, but she could never understand Kiko’s predicament.
“Well,” Mars started. “I think she’d have left if she was so all-fired terrified of you. It kills me to say this to you, because I couldn’t have done it, but you’re just gonna have to wait her out.”
Kiko’s mouth curled down at the corners but he nodded. “Let’s change the subject. This is fucking me off.”
“I feel you, brother,” Mars empathized. “Look, we can change topic but not far. Liberating the women has pushed us up shit creek, but I still intend on letting Annette write an article to expose Martinez. Not that she’d let it be any other way,” he admitted with an eye roll. “The only concessions she’s given me are that she’ll let me read it before I send it to the editor and she won’t write it under her own name.”
“That’s a big deal,” Kiko retorted. “If she does a good job of it, that article could win her awards. Awards she’ll have no right to if the article runs nameless.”
Mars shrugged. “She doesn’t care.”
“She says that now.” Kiko huffed.
“No, I believe her. I know where you’re coming from, bro, but honestly, she means it. She’s angry and horrified. It’s the latter that’s firing her up, while the anger is making it burn slowly.”
“What’s she going to say in the article?”
“That’s what I need to discuss with you and the guys.” Almost on cue, a knock sounded at the door. “Come in,” he hollered, watching as the brothers he trusted the most walked into the room.
With his council, he’d broken all tradition and gone for the guys he trusted to help run the MC right.
The problem was, in this Clan, it wasn’t about who was the strongest. They were all strong. To make it past prospect, the guys had to take on the biggest and meanest bears in a challenge. If they couldn’t hold their own, they couldn’t patch in. It was hard and tough, but it was the way it worked.
That left a vacuum at the top. If everyone was strong, then who the hell should lead? They were all Alphas in their own way, which was why the MC was feared.
So, when Mars had shuffled the top spots in the council around, it had pissed a lot of people off but if Mars was going to do this, he was going to do it right.
Thus, Mundo, Major, and Jarvis were the ones who joined him and Kiko. Mundo because he had a smart mouth and could talk his way in and out of anything. He wasn’t the brightest light in the MC, but he had a way of looking at the world that put an interesting slant on a situation. Plus, Mars knew Mundo would have his back come what may. Hadn’t he already proven that when he’d come to Mars about Jackson? When he’d suggested visiting with Annette and getting her on board to break the trafficking ring?
Major was here because he was brainy as hell. Plus, the other guys trusted him implicitly—they couldn’t not when Major had been the one to stitch them up more times than most of the brothers could count. That kind of trust was nice for a councilor to have. It meant that if Major agreed with the way things were being run, the majority of the brothers would believe in him and would follow.
Jarvis had an eidetic memory that both Jackson and Cub had failed to take advantage of. Mars wasn’t so stupid. He’d promoted Jarvis, given him a harder role, and because of the man’s input, their runs were nearly always successful. Jarvis couldn’t plan against everything, but the way he viewed the local and state territory was invaluable. He was quiet, shy, and as a result, less liked, but Mars wanted him on side when there was talk at the table on matters that counted. Who better than a councilor who could remember every detail without having to look in the minutes?
All in all, he had a variety of characteristics he intended to count on in his councilors and he intended to use some of them now.
“Brothers, I’ve gathered you here to discuss the expose Annette is going to be writing.”
Mundo’s brows rose, nearly skyrocketing to his hairline as he took a seat in one of the leather chairs.
The council room was plain, and consisted of nothing more than a small side table loaded up with a coffee percolator and a fridge beside it, a quality antique walnut table that was scarred from boots being scraped across the surface when a brother rested his feet on the edge, as well as expensive leather chairs that were made for comfort. These chairs were used a lot and the MC spared no expense in making sure the councilors were comfortable when they were discussing the future of the club.
The chairs were strong enough to take the weight of a bear, so when Mundo sat down heavily, the seat didn’t squeak at all. He took the coffee Mars handed him and asked, “She’s going ahead with the article? I thought the idea would be nixed now we’ve gotten involved the way we have with the cartel.”
Major shook his head when Mars offered him a coffee, but smiled at the beer Kiko tossed his and then Jarvis’s way. “The cartel aren’t going to stop just because we got involved and wrecked this one shipment, Mundo. There’s going to be another load, another group of women banded together in that fucking pit, living in their own piss and shit.” He shuddered, twisted the beer top with his bare hand then slugged down a good half of the bottle. “Bastards need to pay for doing that to those women.”
“I’m not saying they don’t,” Mundo argued, “I’m just shocked Mars is getting his mate involved.”
“She’s going to write it under the tag Staff Writer. No one will know she was behind it.” Mars took a deep sip of the coffee he’d just poured himself. “Still, I can’t let her have free reign with the article. We need to discuss what she’s going to put in it.”
Jarvis frowned. “If this is about her editorial, shouldn't she be here to discuss it with us?”
“It would make sense but she’s talking to the last few women who are still on the compound. Plus, I’d prefer to present this to her as a done deal. If she can, she will argue about the content, and to be honest, I don’t blame her. But we have to consider business, that has to be our priority.”
“Figures are down,” Jarvis confirmed what Mars already knew. “Skirmishes are up. The last three runs were intercepted by gangs loyal to Martinez.”
“They crossed territories?” Kiko asked, surprised.
“Yeah. Which means Martinez has coordinated the movement to allow safe passage for gangs on other’s territories just so they can attack us.”
“Any major injuries?” Mars asked. He hadn’t heard of any, but confirmation would be nice.
Major sighed. “A few broken arms and feet. Couple of bullet wounds. Nothing some stitches and a shift didn’t cure.”
“I figured terrifying Martinez with the truth of what we are would have contained him for a little while longer,” Mars admitted, sitting back in his seat wi
th a grimace.
“Nah, he’s a bully,” Mundo insisted. “They have to fight fire with fire when it comes to shit like this because if they don’t, they’ll have to back down. Martinez can’t back down. He’s making too much money.”
“You have a point.” Mars grunted. “So, brothers, what do we do?” When they all looked at each other, clueless, Mars said, “As you can see, I’m going to be running this council differently to Jackson and Cub. You’re here not just as sounding boards, but I want your input and I want to act on it. Mundo, Kiko, you both know I don’t want to be Prez, but I’ll do it because the role falls on my shoulders after challenging Jackson.
“If at some point any of you want to challenge me, there’s no need. You can be Prez without a fight to the death to earn it.”
Mundo smiled. “I don’t want to be Prez.”
“Me, neither,” Major inserted.
Jarvis grunted. “Last thing in hell I want is to lead us.”
Kiko clapped Mars on the back. “I’m glad to be your second, that’s as high as I’m aiming.”
Mars sighed. “Damn, I was hoping one of you would grab it with both hands.” When his brothers laughed, he flipped them the bird, shoved his elbows on the table and rested his head on his closed fists. “What the fuck are we going to do about Martinez and Annette’s article?”
Silence settled among them as they thought about the ins and outs of club business and the ways in which Martinez could fuck them over.
Beer was slurped, coffee was sank back, and all the while, the men pondered how they could tie the entire mess up with a neat red bow.
After only God knew how long, Mundo clicked his fingers and a slow smile crested his lips. “How about we do this…”
Before Mundo could utter another word, the door to the council room burst open. Mars felt his bear rattle at the rude intrusion, then it immediately settled at the sight of Annette.
“Honey, this is a council meeting. You’re not allowed in here.”
She wafted a dismissive hand at that, strode over to his side, and perched her butt on his arm rest. “I have good news for you.”
The men blinked at her, but only Jarvis was brave enough to ask, “What kind of good news?”
She rubbed her hands together. “A way to stop Martinez.”
Kiko frowned, less than impressed by Annette’s announcement. “How?”
“Mafia groups work with mafia groups, don’t they? It only makes sense. Why would the Bratva on Russian territory suddenly start to work with the Israeli mafia when they landed in the US? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Not unless there was big money involved.”
“Yeah, but that’s the thing. Money is important but so is honor. If there’s a local branch of their group, then not using them is only going to cause offense.”
Mars held up a hand. “Annette, start at the beginning.”
“I’ve been talking to all the women about their time with the cartel. Most of them won’t talk, or if they do, their answers aren’t all that detailed. But Mischa—she’s the one with that gorgeous long blond hair? Anyway, she’s the only one who will really talk about that time with me. She’s been very informative.
“The Ukrainian mafia have a branch in the US. Odessa mafia up in Brighton Beach. She went to them for help crossing to the US… so why, when she got here, was there not a smidgen of Ukrainian spoken? And not a Ukrainian man in sight? Only the cartel foot soldiers…”
Mars frowned. “They must have a deal worked out.”
“It must be some deal for them to cut out the branch in Brighton Beach.”
Kiko rubbed a hand over his jaw. “She might be on to something, Mars.”
“What, though?” he demanded. “The Brighton Beach branch might be A-Okay with Martinez getting a cut of the action. Maybe it’s all sanctioned.”
“And maybe it’s not. I looked into Martinez’s people. He’s not popular outside of El Salvadorian gangs. The Italians hate him, so does the Bratva. He works with his own people.”
“How do you know that?”
Annette scrunched her nose. “I spoke to a friend who works at the police station.”
Mars’s eyes flared wide. “You spoke to a cop?”
“No! Don’t be silly. She’s a PA, for God’s sake, but she has some access to files, and what she couldn’t learn herself, she asked her boyfriend in Vice. She’s a writer too, so he figured she was asking for research.” She patted his arm. “Don’t worry, it won’t come back on us. Melanie has no idea I’m with you or what I’m writing about. She’s used to me picking her brain about stuff like this.”
Tension flooded Mars at his mate’s recklessness. “You can’t go off on a limb like that, Annette. You need to discuss it with all of us. You’re not alone anymore. We have five hundred men under our care. What you did could have put them in danger.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Have you seen my resume?”
He reared back at the odd question. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“It has everything to do with it. Do you think I’m an idiot? Do you?” When he wisely remained silent, she glowered at him. “I wouldn’t do a damn thing to hurt this MC. Despite everything, I actually feel at home here. So I’m sure as hell not going to do anything that puts us in danger.”
“You spoke to the cops, Annette,” Mundo mumbled. “That’s asking for bad juju.”
She sighed. “I didn’t speak to the cops. I spoke to a friend who just happens to work for the cops. A friend who is due to go on maternity leave soon. The last thing she’s thinking about is me and my questions. Look, I had to know if Martinez had any past business deals with the Russian or Ukrainian mafia. And guess what, he didn’t. I reckon someone isn’t getting their cut, and that someone dangerous would be pretty pissed off about being kept out of the loop. It’s either happening here or back in the Ukraine. Either way, if that information was leaked to the right people, I’m certain that would put a stop to Martinez’s cartel or at least, keep them busy elsewhere.”
Silence fell like a heavy blanket over the council table. The men stared at each other, voiceless questions in their eyes that were answered by subtle shifts of their heads and hands.
Eventually, Kiko grumbled, “She’s right. Even if what she says isn’t definite, it’s enough to sow a seed of doubt. And that usually triggers gang wars. If we get the Bratva and Ukrainian mafia involved, then that will tie up Martinez in so many knots he’ll have no choice but to leave us the hell alone.”
Mars firmed his jaw. “And just how do we tell the right people this little tidbit?”
Annette bent down to press a kiss to her mate’s head. “I publish it in the article, silly.”
Chapter Eighteen
A month later
When Mars twirled Annette around in a spin, she let loose a huge laugh. As he spun her back into his arms, he immediately bent her back, followed her, then captured her lips in a kiss.
For a second, the hoots and hollers of his brothers faded to nothing. Mars didn’t hear a damned thing; he was focused on his mate’s taste, the tenderness of her lips, the hunger in her kiss. A hunger that belonged to him and only him.
He speared his tongue into her mouth, fucking it like he’d be fucking her later, and shuddered, feeling his bear come awake when she dug her nails into his shoulders. The tiny claws dragged all of his nerve endings to life and he awoke from the stuporous kiss with a bang.
MARS (BBW Bear Shifter MC Romance) (MC Bear Mates Book 1) Page 17