by K. J. Dahlen
CHAPTER NINE
Cricket groaned as she opened her eyes. The room was filled with sunshine and the light hurt her eyes. Glancing at the clock beside the bed, she noted the time. It was almost noon. She’d been sleeping for about five hours but it felt like only minutes. Her eyes felt gritty and her mouth was dry. Her shoulder was still sore but it was getting better. She rolled over in bed and ran into Raine.
He grunted and tried to open his eyes.
She had fallen asleep before he joined her and that was fine with her. She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to anyone when she came in here earlier. Just as she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk to anyone now. She turned over and rolled the other way putting some space between them.
Raine wasn’t having that. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her close to him.
Cricket struggled briefly then was still.
“Don’t fight us,” he whispered in her ear. “I would never hurt you or put you down. This club won’t either. If you’ll let us, we will protect you from Bane.”
Cricket felt the tears roll down her cheeks. “I can’t do that, not to you or to them. If Bane comes back, he’s going to come back mad and looking for revenge. Revenge against people who are long dead. He’s looking for his son and he’s not happy he didn’t know about him before. Grace and Orrin kept him a secret and he doesn’t like it. He thinks of this as them betraying him all over again.”
“But you had nothing to do with that,” Raine insisted.
“I had nothing to do with finding what they took from him either but he made me find it and return it.” She pointed out. “I didn’t have a choice then and he may not give me a choice in the future either. Now that he knows where I am and how to get to me, he will use it whenever he wants to.”
“But he told you not to come back,” Raine argued.
“He told me not to come to him but he didn’t say he wouldn’t come to me.” She sighed deeply.
Raine shook his head. “And now, Leon Vincinti and Dominic Marconi know you’re his niece.”
“What does that matter?” Cricket turned to face him.
Raine shrugged. “Maybe nothing but they still know.”
“But Bane doesn’t want anything to do with me.” Cricket began to tremble. “He’d rather see me dead, than do anything for me.”
Raine held her tighter. “He won’t get the chance to get that close to you, not without us behind you.”
Cricket shook her head. “I won’t allow any of you to stand between me and a bullet. I’d rather die myself than put anyone else in harm’s way.”
“Let’s hope he never comes back here then.”
~* * * *~
When Calico and his boys got back to the auto shop, they found Sawyer and Jordan laughing and talking with the Morgan brothers.
When she saw them, she stopped laughing and stared at her father with a question in her eyes.
Calico smiled and leaned down toward her. When his lips touched her forehead, he kissed her gently. “Micah won’t ever bother you again. At least not in this lifetime.”
Sawyer closed her eyes in relief. When she opened them again, she noticed Calico’s knuckles were swollen and the flesh torn away. She looked at his men’s hands and notice they all wore bruises on their hands. She couldn’t find any other bruises on them, at least not where she could see them and she couldn’t help but wonder how Micah’s men were.
“Did you find any answers about Mom?” Jordan asked.
“Yeah,” Calico answered. “Micah’s uncle Max wanted her but she didn’t want anything to do with him. He told her to get rid of me or he’d kill me.” Calico shrugged. “She believed him. After I left, Max thought she’d come to him but she never did.”
“He had her watched you know,” Sawyer told them quietly.
“What?” Calico frowned.
“Max, he had Mom watched.” Sawyer nodded. “There was always someone watching her. It drove Mom nuts. She would go out of her way to change her routes every day.”
“How long had this been going on?” Calico asked.
Sawyer shrugged. “Most of my life.”
“Has he ever hurt your mom or you guys?” Calico asked.
Sawyer shrugged and looked away. Unconsciously, she began rubbing her wrists. She could still feel the abrasions from old scars.
Calico frowned as he watched her. She was holding back secrets and he didn’t like it.
Jordan reached out and grabbed her hands.
Sawyer gazed at him and smiled slightly. The fear in her eyes receded and she glanced at her father. She could see the worry in his eyes but she shook her head at it.
“Did this man Max ever hurt your mother or you guys?” Calico repeated his earlier question.
Jordan’s hand tightened on his sister’s. When she looked at him, he gave her a slight nod. Sawyer took a deep breath and spoke, “He tried once.”
“What did the bastard do?” Demon asked.
“A year ago, Max kidnapped her off the streets.” Jordan growled. “Max thought to use Sawyer to finally get mom to come to him.”
“Did she go to him?” Calico asked.
Jordan got up, walked over to the nearest wall and punched a hole in it. When he turned back to Calico, there were tears in his eyes. “No she didn’t because I got Sawyer away from his men before Mom went to Max. Me and some friends found out where they were holding her and we got her the hell out of there.”
Sawyer got up and wrapped her arms around her brother. She held him close and hushed his anger. She brought him back to the table and sat down beside him. “A friend of Jordan’s saw the kidnapping and got in touch with him immediately, then he followed them back to the place they took me. They held me for four hours before Jordan and his friends got there.”
“How bad did these men hurt you?” Calico asked his daughter.
Sawyer shook her head. “Nothing that didn’t heal.” Was all she would say. She caught Jordan’s eyes and shook her head slightly. “Nothing that didn’t heal.”
Jordan jerked away from his sister and staggered to his feet. Then he stared at the men sitting there and yelled, “They hung her from a hook in the ceiling, stripped her down to her underwear and then they beat her! She was bruised from her head to her feet. The skin on her wrists was torn and bloody. They beat her with a belt and their fists. Every time they hit her, they laughed and told her no one would hear her if she wanted to scream. But my sister never gave them the satisfaction of screaming.”
“Jordan no.” Sawyer reached out to stop him. “It’s over now. It doesn’t matter anymore. None of them can hurt us anymore.”
Jordan glared at her and shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong Sawyer. Max will come after us for what they did to Micah.”
“No he won’t,” Calico vowed. “He won’t come after you two, because I’m going after him first. He cost me twenty years of living with you and your mother. He threatened and hurt you. He threatened your mother. Now he’s going to pay for that.”
“You won’t be going alone boss,” Demon assured him. “And we won’t be the only ones that are gonna right this wrong.”
Calico grinned. “We’re gonna rain hell down on Max Bordeaux.”
Demon smiled. “I’ll spread the word.”
Sawyer reached out and laid her hand on her father’s arm. “You can’t take on Max Bordeaux in his own town. He has his own army.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” Calico assured her. “We’ll have our own army.”
“Maybe you should check with my dad before you go in.”
Everyone turned to see a woman standing in the doorway.
“Why would we do that?” Calico asked.
“Because if Max is family, he would know.” She came into the room. “If this has been going on for some time, then maybe my father can help you.”
Calico shook his head. “I’m sorry but who are you?”
“I’m a sort of part of the family. My dad is Dominic Marco
ni and my name is Izzy.”
Calico shook his head. “Look this isn’t your dad’s fight, its mine. It was my woman and daughter Max threatened and hurt. It’s my place to correct his mistake.”
“And our place to help him do it,” Demon chimed in.
The other bikers nodded in agreement.
“But you don’t want to start a war you can’t win.” Izzy shook her head. Rubbing her big belly, she sat down and explained, “If Max is mafia family you need permission to take him down. Otherwise, you risk the family coming after you in retaliation.”
“We also risk him telling Max we’re coming,” Demon pointed out.
Izzy shook her head. “If you can make a strong enough case, my father will understand the reasons, he might agree to what you want.”
“Honey, I don’t ask permission,” Calico assured her.
Sawyer laid her hand on his rm. “Please, will you do this? If not for mom, then for me?”
“Why?” Calico asked.
“Because I just found you again and I want the chance to know you. Because our mother could never forget you and she always loved you. I want to know the man she knew and fell in love with. You and you alone, kept her going all those years you were gone. She found some comfort from Jordan’s father but he didn’t stay around long.”
“Yeah, about that.” Calico scratched his head. “Micah told us Max had him killed, another attempt to bring Jolene around.”
“That bastard!” Jordan growled.
“Talk to my father or Leon Vincinti,” Izzy urged. “Don’t go off halfcocked and get yourself killed when you don’t have to.” She looked at Sawyer then back to Calico. “If this has been going on for as long as they say, then either one of them would know about it. The Family has rules too, you know. If Max is breaking them, Dominic or Leon needs to know.”
Calico studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, I’ll give you that but if they give me an answer I don’t like, I’m going after him anyway. This man needs to have his ass handed to him.”
“Oh, I agree with that.” Izzy nodded as she rubbed her belly. “Sam told us a little of what these guys have done to your family. But you have to do it right or bring the heat down on the club. You guys are MC, you know this. Mountain has been teaching me the rules and the most important one is protect the club at all costs.”
Calico grinned and nodded. “You got that one right.” He nodded at her belly. “How long before your baby is born?”
Izzy rolled her eyes. “Hopefully, six weeks.”
Hah!” A voice came from the doorway. “Peaches and I are due sooner than that.”
Everyone turned to see a petite, red haired woman who was also pregnant. She came into the room and up to the table. She eyed Sawyer and Jordan before turning to the group of bikers. “Boys, I’m Cassie Tory, Deke’s wife and Sam’s daughter in law. I was asked to invite you, Sawyer and Jordan to supper at the clubhouse tonight.” She gazed at Calico. “We know why you came and we want to join you in your efforts to stop this insanity. No one should have to live the way your child and woman have. Deke wants to help in any way he can but Izzy is right. You do need to talk to Dominic or Leon.” Holding up her hand she said, “Not to ask permission but out of respect. The club wouldn’t like it if the family came in and killed one of their own and the club needs to recognize that. Respect is a two way street. If you give it, you’ll get it back.”
Calico nodded. “I can live with that.”
“Good, supper is at six. See you boys and girls then.” Cassie turned to leave. Then turned back to Izzy. “I think your father is here. At least there is a limo next door.”
~* * * *~
Izzy got to her feet. Making her way to the door, she shrugged. “It looks like one of his.” She turned to look at Calico. “Maybe you can have your answer as soon as tonight.” She hurried out the door and across the street.
Dominic was just getting out of the car when she reached him. “Dominic what are you doing here?”
Dominic smiled. “I had to come.”
“Let’s go inside.”
When they were sitting at the kitchen table, Dominic reached for her hand. “You’ve made me a happy man.”
Izzy smiled. “And just how did I do that?”
“You’ve begun to use the trust fund.”
Izzy frowned. Pulling her hand away she said, “No, I haven’t.”
“What are you saying?” he asked. “Of course you have, there were several very large withdrawals in the last few weeks.”
“Not by me, I assure you.”
“If not by you, then by who?”
Izzy shrugged. “I have no idea.” She shifted in her chair. “You know Mountain doesn’t want or need that money and I wouldn’t take it behind his back. Besides, I haven’t taken the blood test that your attorney wanted, so its not been established that I am even your daughter.”
Dominic grabbed her hand again. “I don’t care about that damn blood test and you know it. I signed the money over to you weeks ago.”
“Dominic, I haven’t touched it.”
He sat back in his chair with a thoughtful look on his face.
“Dominic, as long as you’re here, something has come up,” Izzy told him. “What do you know about a man named Max Bordeaux?”
Dominic made a face. “Max Bordeaux is a pig. I know that much. His seat of power for the family is losing ground, all because he wants a woman he can’t have. The family has told him time and time again, to leave her alone but he doesn’t listen to anyone but himself. I also know it’s been going on for a long time.”
“That woman is now dead by his nephew’s hand and her daughter has been stalked by the same nephew for the last four months,” Izzy informed him. “The daughter’s father came down from Maine last night and found Micah and his band of murderers. Now he plans to go against Max. Cassie and I both told him he needs to talk to you or Leon first and he’s agreed to talk.”
“Good, I’ll be happy to listen and give him advice.” He nodded. “Max has been a pain in my ass for twenty years. He’s lost the focus of his mission and that puts us all in danger.”
“Cassie has invited everyone to the clubhouse for supper tonight. You are more than welcome as well.”
“I will be very happy to join you tonight. Mayhaps I’ll give Leon a heads up as well. We have things to talk about.”
Izzy smiled. “Okay, I’ll leave you to your business then.”
CHAPTER TEN
Dominic arrived to the clubhouse in his limo a couple of hours later and made his way to the front door of the MC.
Then another limo arrived. When Leon and Calderone stepped out, they joined Dominic.
“I have just been given the evidence we need to get rid of Max Bordeaux,” he informed the Vincinti men.
“Indeed,” Leon drawled with an interested tone.
“Yes, that is some news.” Calderone nodded. “Finally.”
Then together, all three joined their children inside.
Peaches was stunned when she saw her father and grandfather join the celebration. She got up as quickly as an eight and a half months pregnant woman could move and went to join them. She smiled as Calderone’s arms went around her. “This is a surprise. What are you two doing here?”
When Deke and Cassie, Mountain and Iceman joined them, Leon told her, “We have a bit of business to take care of in the area and thought to visit with you for a moment while we were here.” Leon turned to Cassie and smiled, “I know you and Peaches are close but this is ridiculous.” He motioned to her very big belly as well.
Cassie laughed. “Yeah, we have a poll going to see which one of us will have our kid first.”
Calderone and Leon chuckled.
Leon looked over at Deke. “Well, you can’t say the next generation of your MC aren’t well on the way.”
Deke grinned. “True enough,” Then he sobered and nodded toward the office down the hall. “Our guests are waiting for you.”
&n
bsp; Leon nodded then turned to his granddaughter. “Let me conclude this business and then we’ll have time to visit.”
Peaches smiled as she rubbed her belly and watched the men walk toward the office.
As they walked down the hall, two men broke away from the men standing along the wall. Dominic and Leon had their men along to protect them even though it was unnecessary here, in the clubhouse. Protocol demanded bodyguards for the heads of the family. The men followed them into the office.
~* * * *~
When Cassie joined Peaches, they both stared at the closed office door. Then they both turned and walked back to the table and sat down.
Peaches glanced at Cassie and whispered, “Someone is going to die soon.”
“Why would you say that?” Cassie gasped slightly.
“It was the look in Leon’s eye. This is not a good visit but I think the man in question knows what’s coming. It would take a great betrayal for Leon to get that look in his eyes.”
Cassie shuddered as she swung her gaze up to the tiger murals. “God, I hate this part of belonging to an MC. They don’t take betrayal well.”
Peaches followed her gaze and stared at the familiar paintings while her eyes looked troubled. “Does anyone? We didn’t when it came down to it.”
Cassie kept her eyes on Rufus, the orange protector still seemed so comforting to her.” Yes, you’re right. Everyone loses in the end though, when revenge is all that matters.”
~* * * *~
In the office, Dominic, a rather large biker with unusually colored hair was there and six other large, rough looking men waited for them. A young woman and a young kid were there as well.
The very lovely woman looked nervous as the newcomers settled in and stared at her.