Hound Cerberus 2.0 Book 2

by James, Marie

  When I open the door, the man I identified as Shadow is standing there.

  “Nice sticker,” he says with a chuckle, indicating the strip still on my nose.

  His attitude suddenly pisses me off. Sitting in a room not sure of what’s going to happen, but having enough respect for the club to face the consequences, has made my normally expansive patience a little thin.

  “Want one to match,” I growl.

  He laughs again.

  “Come on. We got shit to do.”

  When he turns and walks away, I just stare at his back for a second before grabbing my wallet and keys to the room.

  “Where are we going?” I ask after hustling to catch up with him near an SUV with completely blacked-out windows.

  “For a ride,” he mutters. Pointing his finger, he all but commands me to get in on the back driver’s side.

  “Lovely,” I say to myself and open the door.

  Dominic is driving, and Kincaid is glaring at me from the passenger seat.

  “Sir,” I say to him with a nod. It doesn’t thaw him in the slightest.

  I don’t ask where we’re going again. I ride in silence, and they do the same.

  Ten minutes later, we’re pulling into the nearly empty parking lot of the strip club.

  “The Minge Palace?” Shadow mumbles in disgust as he looks out the dark window.

  Kincaid shakes his head, fists clenching against his thighs. Not for the first time, I imagine how I would act if a daughter of mine was involved in the things Gigi has been up to. I’d burn this place to the ground.

  “The owner has girls younger than Gigi working here. Saw another girl that couldn’t be over seventeen.”

  Dominic looks at me in the rearview mirror and Kincaid and Shadow turn their glares in my direction.

  “Information Cerberus or Blade at a minimum could’ve used days ago,” Dominic growls.

  “You made me a promise,” Kincaid says in an even voice that doesn’t fit the mood inside of the SUV.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “If you go back with us to New Mexico, are you going to be able to keep it?”

  I nod, praying I can, but knowing I just told my first lie to my new boss.

  “Yes, Sir.” I swallow roughly and hate the sweat that is popping up on my forehead.

  The parking lot is suddenly filled with activity. Police cars, unmarked SUVs, and even one patrolman on a motorcycle circle our SUV.

  “You get the security tapes,” Dominic says to me. “We don’t have time to cut Georgia out of them. Destroy every one but the one from last night. She won’t be on that one.”

  I nod and climb out of the SUV the same time they do.

  We fall in an arrow pattern with Kincaid leading the charge until a man in a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission jacket steps in his path. I wait for the guy to shut us down, but he reaches out his hand.

  “Kincaid,” the man says in greeting.

  “Agent Mooreland,” Kincaid returns.

  “Thanks for the heads up on this. How did you hear about it?” Mooreland releases Kincaid’s hand and turns to face the front of the building as the other men get ready to enter.

  “My man Hound came in for a little peep show and noticed how young the girls were. Said half of them weren’t only underage, but the owner was supplying them with alcohol and drugs.”

  I realize with the lie that he has no intention of letting any other person outside of Cerberus know that his daughter was one of the underage girls dancing here just a few nights ago.

  “Good catch,” Mooreland says.

  The praise makes my stomach turn.

  “We ready?” Kincaid asks to move things along. I know he doesn’t want to spend a second longer here than absolutely necessary.

  Entry is simple enough. The patrons are grouped together in one corner, girls in the other as the local agencies move in further looking for the owner. When Kincaid nods at me, I take it as my cue to head to the security office. The lock is easy enough to pick, and I make entry in less than twenty seconds.

  For privacy for the felony I’m about to commit, I shut the door behind me. I ignore the cocaine, marijuana, and various bongs. They aren’t the reason I’m here.

  Surprisingly, the security cameras are top notch. Not surprising is the owner is so narcissistic he wouldn’t think that anyone would get past that simple damn lock because he didn’t even have the program password protected. Quickly I download the entire database to the jump drive I always carry on my keys.

  I imagine being able to keep my promise to Kincaid will be much easier if I have Gigi on video, for those nights I’m alone and can’t keep my mind off of her. It’s sick and disgusting, but even knowing that doesn’t keep me from doing it. I wipe the video feeds from the system, plant a virus in the computer, and pray the techs that run through it will be able to find the video from last night. I imagine the owner has enough trouble coming, but a little child pornography is always a good thing when a piece of shit is going down.

  I scoop up the brick of pot and a bag of coke and leave the room.

  “Whatcha got there?” Mooreland asks as I turn the corner from the hallway.

  “Party favors,” I tell him and toss them his direction. “Found them in the security office.”

  “Perfect,” he says and begins talking into a handheld radio to, I assume, the DEA. “Got something you’ll be interested in.”

  He nods and walks away.

  “Let’s bounce,” Shadow says coming from out of nowhere.

  I follow him, meeting Kincaid and Dominic near the front door.

  “Find what you needed?” Kincaid asks when we close ourselves into the SUV.

  “Yes, Sir,” I answer. “Added a little photo gallery and fake web searches as well.”

  The small twitch at the corner of Kincaid’s mouth gives me hope.

  “Of what?” Shadow asks from beside me as Dominic pulls away from the shitty club.

  “Kiddie porn and a little bestiality for good measure.”

  Shadow begins to laugh, and Dominic’s and Kincaid’s chuckles follow.

  “Yeah,” Dominic says. “You’ll do just fine, Hound.”

  At least the tension is lifted some before we reach my hotel.

  “How much time do you need?” Kincaid asks.

  “Just have to run in and grab my go bag and suitcase.”

  He nods as I climb out. I lied to him again because I spend at least a full minute with Gigi’s pillow to my nose, breathing her in and trying to memorize her scent.

  If she’s in New Mexico, I know staying away from her is going to be the hardest mission I’ve ever faced in my life. Even knowing that if I touch her again, Kincaid will make me wish I was dead may not be enough to keep my hands off of her when she’s standing in front of me.

  I toss the pillow down, clutch my keys in the pocket of my jeans to remind myself that at least I have something of her, and grab my bags and head back to the SUV.

  Silence fills the inside of the SUV when I climb in, and the tension hanging in the air means they were discussing me. They don’t tell me to get my ass out, so I settle in for whatever comes next.

  “I’m going to keep you very busy,” Kincaid says five minutes into our drive to God knows where.

  “Yes, Sir,” I respond.

  “I can tell you to stay away from Georgia, and for your safety, I pray you can. But understand that stubborn girl doesn’t listen to a word I say. In fact, she does exactly opposite of what I instruct. So even though I’ll forbid her to speak to you, know in advance, she’s going to do it anyway.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  It’s then that he turns to look at me.

  “You can just give her up that easily?” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Pretend like nothing happened? Don’t feel an urge to fight for her?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Sir.”

  He continues to glare at me.

  “I made a promise to y
ou. I’ll do my best not to break it.”

  “You’ll try?” It’s the calm in his eyes that makes my skin crawl.

  “Yes, Sir.” Another swallow.

  “Yeah, Hound,” he sneers. “I think you’ll be very busy.”

  I feel like a million pounds have been lifted off my back when he turns to face the front. Just the scrutiny of his glare was weighing me down.

  “You’re fucked,” Shadow whispers before turning his focus outside the window.

  Chapter 10

  Gigi

  “I still don’t understand,” I tell my sister.

  “What’s not to understand?” Ivy says with her brows drawn tight. “After our senior year, Delilah, Lawson, and I are moving back to New Mexico. We want to be close to family.”

  Even though we’re twins, Ivy and I couldn’t be any more different from each other.

  “Doesn’t Lawson have that repair shop in Providence?” I thought I heard some mention of it at Thanksgiving last year.

  “He’s going to open another one here,” Delilah says with a light squeeze to Lawson’s thigh.

  “But you left years ago to be near Drew,” I remind Lawson.

  He shrugs. “Drew graduated in May, and he plans to attend a year of college on the east coast and a year here in New Mexico before going through the police academy in Albuquerque.”

  “A cop?” I ask.

  A wide, proud smile spreads on Lawson’s face. “It’s what he wants to do.”

  Even a kid as young as Drew has a plan for his life. I look around the empty clubhouse living room when Delilah and Ivy start talking about friends from college. My dad is expected back at any time, but most of the other members left on some mission to South Africa this morning. They aren’t expected to be back for over a week. A few members are around, but they always hightail it out of the clubhouse when we show up, either to get away from us or preferring to be in the garage during daylight drinking hours.

  “What do you think?” Delilah’s question pulls me from my wandering thoughts.

  “What? I’m sorry. I spaced.”

  All three of them placate me with smiles. Ivy has already said something about my loose t-shirt and sweats, and I have no idea if they know what my life has been like since the last time I saw them, but no one has asked.

  “Do you want to go to Jake’s this evening?” Delilah asks again.

  “What’s the point? He won’t serve us.” I shake my head, a second away from turning the offer down, but I know anything is better than being stuck here. “Sure.”

  I can always sneak a flask like I used to do in high school.

  “What about that blue dress you brought?” Ivy asks.

  I’m only catching bits and pieces of their conversation, but that’s no different than it’s always been.

  When the front door opens and my dad, Shadow, and Uncle Dominic walk through, I wish we were already at the bar. I may have to pregame with that flask long before the sun sets if my afternoon goes the way I suspect it will.

  I haven’t said a word to my father since he busted in on Jameson and me back at the hotel in Dallas.

  “Hey, Daddy.” Ivy beams as Dad walks in our direction.

  The front door closing with more force than necessary draws all of our attention. My blood heats at the sight of Jameson looking back at the door in confusion.

  “Sorry,” he murmurs, refusing to make eye contact with me.

  “He’s trouble,” Lawson whispers to Delilah.

  “Everyone,” Uncle Dom says walking a few feet closer. “This is Jameson ‘Hound’ Rawley, the newest Cerberus member.”

  “I’ll show you to your room,” Shadow says and turns toward the long hallway off of the kitchen.

  I watch his muscled back until he disappears, and then I meet my father’s eyes. Per usual, I can’t read his face. He’s a master at calm and cool passivity, but I’ll take this over the anger and violence I saw in Dallas.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” Dad says accepting Ivy’s hug.

  Dad shakes Lawson’s hand, and they do that weird manly back slap thing as if he and Law are old friends. It’s weird, especially when I consider how little time they’ve had to get to know each other.

  “Georgia,” Dad says after he’s done with greeting Delilah. “I’d like to speak with you in my office. Give me an hour to greet your mother, and I expect you to be there.”

  I nod my compliance, glad to have an hour reprieve.

  “Gross,” I mutter after he walks away and I take a moment to consider why he needs an hour to say hello to my mom.

  Lawson chuckles at my discomfort.

  My eyes stay glued to the door leading to the hallway, hoping, praying, and wondering if Jameson will come back through it before I have to go face the firing squad.

  “Want to tell us what’s going on?” My sister didn’t allow even two minutes before the questioning began.

  “Seems Dad doesn’t approve of my choice in men,” I tell them without pulling my eyes away.

  “He’s never approved of your choice in men. Well, not since Jordy. He liked that boy.”

  Looking away from the hall, I turn my attention to Delilah. “Jordy was the last guy Dad should’ve ever liked.”

  Good ‘ol Jordy. He was my boyfriend my sophomore year. We dated for eight months, a lifetime in high school years. We messed around after his junior prom. A dreadful attempt at a blowjob somehow transformed into rumors of me sleeping with half the baseball team. My reputation in Farmington never recovered, and neither did my attitude.

  “We all have regrets,” Ivy says reaching for my hand.

  I jerk it away before she can touch me.

  “What’s done is done,” I tell her before standing up and walking away.

  At first, I think of running out the front and hitchhiking into town, taking off and leaving New Mexico before Dad can yell at me, but the pull in Jameson’s direction is stronger.

  Ignoring the whispers at my back, I take the hallway that leads to the guys’ rooms. We aren’t allowed back here, so I’m not surprised Ivy and Delilah are having a mild freak out in the living area. I realize my mistake when I get to the middle of the long narrow hallway. I have no idea which room is his. Short of banging on every door, I have no other way to determine where he is. I have a million questions. Why is he even here? How did Dad go from hating him to hiring him in a matter of days?

  “Jameson,” I hiss. No answer, so I say it even louder, but it still doesn’t pull him from his room. “Hound!”

  “What are you doing?” Shadow’s voice snaps my eyes to him just as a door down at the end of the hall opens.

  I weaken at the sight of Jameson’s gorgeous face, but my world is crushed when I realize he’s looking past me at Shadow.

  “You’re not allowed back here,” Shadow reminds me in a gruff tone.

  “I want to talk to you,” I tell Jameson just as his door closes.

  “You need to leave him alone.”

  “We’re both adults,” I remind Shadow.

  “It’s a conflict of interest and not allowed, Gigi. It’s been that way since day one, and nothing has changed.” Shadow sweeps his hand toward the doorway. “After you.”

  Without a glance into the living room, I head out the back door of the clubhouse. Going inside my parents’ house right now isn’t an option. I’ll wait until I hear my mother tinkering around in the kitchen, in order to prevent hearing my dad tinkering inside of her by going inside too soon.

  Sitting on the front porch, I notice the always empty field past Jaxon and Rob’s house is breaking ground, preparing for another home to be built. It has to be Lawson and Delilah’s. There’s no one else that would be allowed to build out here.

  Homeownership and marriage, which are their plans, seem like an anchor, and would only serve to drown me in obligation I never want to be burdened with.

  I have no idea how long I sit on the front porch, but my back has rivulets of sweat running down it when my moth
er opens the door and lets me know my dad is waiting.

  I notice the flush in her cheeks and grin for the first time thinking about my parents getting down and dirty. Maybe their romping will help Dad’s demeanor toward me.

  “Take a seat,” he snaps the second I walk through the door of his office.

  “Should I shut the door?”

  He shakes his head. “No, your mother will be joining us.”

  “Why?” I question. “This is a club matter, not a family matter.”

  I don’t want to face my actions in front of my mother even though I know my dad will hold nothing back when he speaks to her about it. They have no secrets. They kept tons of stuff from Ivy and me growing up, but they don’t keep things from each other.

  “It’s both,” he corrects just as my mother walks into the room and takes a seat in one of the chairs in front of Dad’s desk.

  I take the other seat, just wanting to get this over and done with.

  “You will stay away from Hound,” he commands.

  “Why is he even here? How do you know him?”

  “It’s club business, Georgia, which means it’s not yours.”

  I draw air into my lungs, preparing to let him have it, but my mother speaks up first.

  “Maybe explaining Hound will make a difference,” she appeases.

  Dad makes eye contact with her before steepling his fingers under his chin. He squints when he looks back at me, considering his options.

  Decision made, he sighs and leans in, elbows and forearms on the top of his massive desk.

  “Hound was heading to work for me when Blade sent him on the fool’s errand to collect you from your,” he clears his throat, “latest place of employment.”

  “The strip club,” I state, trying to rile him up for no other reason than knowing I’m going to agree to his demands, and this is the only power I have.

  “He’s off-limits,” Dad says reiterating his point.

  “He knew who I was then?” His eyes shoot to my Mom’s before looking back at me.

  “Not the night he met you. I don’t think he recognized you with the contacts and wig.”

  He never would’ve touched me if he’d known the girl who met him in the alley was Kincaid Anderson’s daughter.