by Ryan Michele
“Why do I have a woman in my clubhouse because a brother called her here, and it wasn’t for pussy? Then you wanna call church before a party with no explanation. So, yeah, Buzz, how about you talk, son, and you talk quick.”
“I know who it is,” I tell him.
“Talk,” he demands as the tick in his jaw becomes more prominent.
I place my hands on top of the table, no waver in my voice, no fear—never any fear. Ravage, we fear nothing. “It’s Ransom. He’s the motherfucker behind everything.”
The guys all start looking at one another, trying to gauge my accuracy.
“You know this how?” Pops asks, sitting down in his high-backed chair and leaning into it.
I open my computer, intent on showing him exactly the information I figured out.
“Just tell us,” Pops orders.
I look up at his damning expression and push the computer in front of me, not touching it. I simply look right into Pops’ eyes and speak with confidence. “Joey’s computer system was very fucking sophisticated. So much so I kind of wish the fucker hadn’t killed himself so he could have taught me some shit.” Pops clears his throat, and I get down to business. “Joey’s boss was Ransom. On his computer were wire transfers from accounts linked to Ransom and him, and they were off shore. They were buried under so much code that only someone like me would be able to find it. I can pull it up. It’s clear as day. Before Joey’s death, Ransom paid him over a million dollars.”
“Where the fuck did he get that kind of money?” Rhys asks with his arms crossed over his chest. That man is always pissed off—well, except when Tanner is with him. That’s the only time I ever see him not on edge.
All the guys’ penetrating stares would make a normal man quiver. I’m no normal man, so I meet each of them dead-on. “That, I don’t have an answer for, but lucky for us, there are files dedicated to Babs, Rabbit’s crew, Paine, and the T-darts, proving the connection to Ransom. All the pawns in Ransom’s game.” I look at Pops. “Want me to go step-by-step or just give you the short version?”
“Step-by-step, boy.” His intensity grows with every word I say.
I suck in a huge breath. “Alright. Joey documented everything on that computer. The why is up for debate. If I had to guess, it was for blackmail later on because, when I say everything was documented, I mean, phone conversations, money transfers, screenshots, pictures, videos, actual documents—you name it, he found it and kept it.”
The guys say nothing, so I continue, “The first documentation came from videos of Babs’ jealousy over Princess having the brothers of the club talk to Liv about altering the books, those same books that got Princess in prison for over two years. Then there are later video clips of the plot to use Mel and Cooper to trap Princess and take her out for good.”
“And this leads back to Ransom how?” Cruz growls.
“Ransom paid Babs several visits where she spent a lot of time on her knees.”
Cruz stiffens. “You’re fuckin’ shitting me,” he growls, and I can read his mind.
“Nope. Need to sweep X hardcore and make sure all the bugs are gone. And yes, Babs was fucking Ransom, too.”
“There’s video of Ransom and that bitch?” Rhys asks.
“Yep, and so much more.” I turn back to the brothers. “Ransom and Babs worked out a deal where she would have Ransom’s backing on taking out Princess should she need it. On the flip side of that, there’s a video of Ransom ordering his crew not to help Babs in any way, shape, or form. To keep himself clean and under our radar, Ransom talked Babs into getting Rabbit to take out Diamond, stating that if Rabbit took out Diamond, he could have a shot at our territory. I believe those were his exact words, which was all smoke and shit.”
I suck in a breath. The air in the room grows electric at the mention of the loss. A few of the brothers shut their eyes, remembering Diamond and the moment he passed away. Diamond was our president who was shot to death during a meet with Ransom and Rabbit. It shook all of us to the core.
Pops’ hands come down on the table hard, shaking the wood. “They were fucking with us then, during that meeting with Rabbit when everything went to hell. Why the fuck would Ransom be there with bullets flying?”
“It was all a setup, a ruse that Ransom came up with to make sure none of this shit fell back on him,” I respond.
“I find it fucking difficult to believe that he was okay with bullets flying at his head,” GT cuts in, anger pulsing off him from being shot alongside Diamond. “Surely, he wouldn’t want to risk getting hit with one.”
“True, but according to the tape-recorded conversation between Ransom and Rabbit, it was staged, and the main objective was to take Diamond out. They accomplished that, and Ransom made it look as if he were under attack, too. Therefore, none of us would come to the conclusion that he was behind it all.”
“In other words, Ransom was using Rabbit as a puppet?”
I draw my hands into fists. “Him and Paine and the T-darts. All of them.”
“How in the fuck do they come into play?” Becs asks, rubbing his hand over his head. No doubt, all of this shit is way too much to take in. Fuck, it’s overloading me, and I’ve known for a few hours. They’re just hearing it, so processing it is going to take a while.
“Paine was smarter than Rabbit on the money trail. There were only a couple of transactions documented. There were two distinct videos, but I was still leery of the connection between the two of them. Joey, on the other hand, had birth certificates.”
“What the fuck does that mean, Buzz?” GT asks angrily.
“It was all in the family. Paine is Ransom’s cousin,” I state.
The air in the room compresses as the anger pulses off the brothers. Looks of shock, awe, anger, and even pain of reliving Diamond’s death encompass the space.
“You’re fucking shitting me.” Cruz slams his fist hard on the table, making the entire thing vibrate.
“Nope, and since Paine already hated Ravage for taking his father’s land from him, Paine was an easy mark for Ransom. Joey had small parts of meetings documented between the two.”
GT shakes his head. “Then where the fuck did my angel come into play in all this shit? She was fucking kidnapped and almost ...” He trails off, unable to say the last of it, and I can’t blame him.
I breathe in deep through my nose. “Paine’s a twisted fucker and didn’t go by Ransom’s demands. According to phone calls between the two, Ransom was livid with Paine after taking his own path. That included Jace being Angel’s neighbor and her and Shaina’s kidnapping. Ransom threatened to find him and take him out, but we got to him first.”
“Fucking hell.” Pops swipes his hand across his face. “What else?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “You’re not going to fucking believe this one.” I shake my head, not even believing this one myself. “Rocky.”
Rocky is the fucker who hurt Princess in jail then showed up on Ravage’s doorstep as a prospect. He was an undercover cop.
“What the fuck?” Cruz’s anger cascades across the room like a strong wave.
“He was on Ransom’s payroll, too. Ransom paid him in-house to keep an eye on Princess. Not only that but Rocky wasn’t only feeding information about Ravage to the cops; he was sharing with Ransom, too.”
The air in the room feels stifling as all the brothers take in what I said. My eyes dart to each guy, watching as they process. It’s a lot of information, and the web is spread so far it’s difficult to compute.
“Show me,” Pops says.
I rise from the table and hook my computer up to the large screen I installed on the wall. I proceed to show each of them every bit of proof I have. Tons of cursing and disbelief come out loud and clear. It takes over two hours to go through everything, including the audio clips. In the end, it’s all laid out for the guys as clear as day.
After closing my laptop, I sit back in my seat, unsure where this will go. I wait.
“Fuck
ing hell, we just met with that prick a few weeks ago,” Rhys grumbles. “He was doing this the whole fucking time?”
“Why?” GT asks. “Why go through all this shit?”
The guys look to me for answers, but in all my fact-checking and analysis, I never found an explanation. I can’t figure out the history to cause this level of devastation. So many different directions, but no direct connection. The only thing I can think is the one word that stuck out to me like a sore thumb.
“Does Tink mean anything to anyone?”
Pop sits up. “What, son?”
“Tink. It was on the computer, and some files were attached to it, but none of them made much sense. They were vague and undescriptive, like Joey knew something but didn’t know. It’s the only thing that stood out to me.”
“Fucking fuck me,” Pops says, swiping his hands over his face.
“Care to explain?” GT says, glaring at Pops.
“Well, son, I can answer that for you.”
GT’s eyes penetrate his father’s, urging him on.
“Your mother is Tink.”
I’m taken aback by this information. Never once has it been said that Ma and Ransom had a connection, and by the looks on all the brothers’ faces, I’m not the only one in shock.
“Ransom had your mother first. He called her Tink. I wanted her. She wanted me. I took my woman. I thought that shit was water under the bridge, considering the knockdown, drag out fights Ransom and I had back in the day. Apparently, he’s not over it. He wants payback for something he already lost a long time ago.” He runs his fingers through his hair and pulls at the roots. “Fucking hell. He wants Ma back.”
“All this fucking time and you didn’t bother to tell me?” GT asks, leaping up from his chair, that same vein ticking in his neck like his father.
“Rhys, Dagger, Becs, and Zeb knew. It wasn’t something I hid, but there was no reason to tell you guys. That shit was over and done with.”
GT glares. “Or so you thought.” He is no doubt remembering the hell his woman went through. Can’t blame him for that.
“Son, I didn’t know this shit was coming to bite us in the ass. I thought it was fucking over with.” Pops’ eyes pin his son to the spot, but GT doesn’t back down.
“You should have told us,” he fires back.
“This is fucking done with, GT. Not another fucking word,” Pops demands.
Even though GT is furious, he quiets himself as we wait for Pops.
“Last meeting, Ransom told me he was out of town for a few days. Cruz, Rhys, and Buzz, you find out if that is true. You find out where he’s gone. If he’s back, then find out where he went. Becs, Zeb, Tug, and Breaker, find out what we have stockpiled and make sure it’s all ready to go. We’re taking this fucker out,” Pop announces, and I have to say, I feel the relief that this shit will be over mixed with the anticipation of a fight. I’m certain it won’t be an easy one, though.
The door swings open as Dagger limps into church. “Give me a fucking chair,” he groans, and Rhys gets one for him. He collapses in it, breathing heavy. He just survived a heart attack and a broken arm from falling off his bike, so it’s understandable. “What’d I miss?” he asks, looking around the room at our glum faces. “Fuck.”
“Buzz, you stay.” Pops slams the gavel down. “The rest of you have your orders. Do them.”
The guys rise and exit the room, leaving the three of us alone.
“Talk,” Pops orders, and I tell Dagger everything I told the guys.
Pops rises and walks to Dagger, touching him on the shoulder. “You won’t be involved with this one, Dagger. You have to get better first. No exceptions.”
“I fucking hate sitting out. I want in on the action.”
Pops chuckles. “I know, brother. I know.” He turns to me, still talking to Dagger. “Give Buzz and I some time.”
Oh, fuck.
Dagger nods, stands slowly, and leaves the room with a chin lift to me. Here it comes.
Pops’ hand comes out to the front of my shirt, and I rise. “You will pay for not telling me the second you suspected something and then calling your girl instead of me. You will pay for that, but not now. We have too much shit going on, but later. Prepare, brother.”
I nod in agreement, knowing I fucked up, knowing I will have to pay for it. This is all part of life. I made a choice, and I’ll live with the consequences.
“Go,” he orders, releasing me.
As I exit the doors, laptop in my hands, I scan the room and instantly spot Bella, who leaves her conversation with Princess and Angel, coming directly toward me. Fuck, she is so damn beautiful: long, shiny dark hair and curves that go on for miles and a face more gorgeous than any other. I don’t fucking deserve her, but I also don’t care much.
She wraps her arms around my neck, and mine, including my computer, come around her. I hold on to her tight inhaling her, letting her exotic scent flow through my body. Fuck, I missed this woman, but I haven’t claimed her yet to everyone.
I don’t like the pit that forms in my gut at the thought that one of the guys could touch her. That can’t happen, or I will lose my shit.
“What’s going on?” she whispers softly.
I put my lips to her ear. “I’ll take care of everything. You hang out here. Stay with Princess or Angel. I have some shit to do, and then I’ll come find you in about an hour.” I didn’t want to leave her, but she can’t know any of what I have to do and search. “I mean it, Bella. You have to stay with them. Club life is different than normal life, and I don’t have time to go into all that shit, but no one touches you except me. So stay with them. If anyone tries, you tell them you’re with me.”
I pull away then take her lips hard and fast, pulling away too quickly for my taste. It’s been way too long since I’ve seen my girl.
I look back at her dilated eyes, and my dick hardens to granite. Fuck, I need to get this shit done so I can get inside her.
I look at Princess. “Keep her close for me.”
“Sure thing.” She smiles knowingly, but I don’t have time for that shit.
“Be back.” I peck her lips then head to the room where I have a bank of computers and unlimited access to just about everything and gear it up. I begin my searches as my mind conjures up wicked thoughts of Bella.
How is she going to take this? Bella and I have been seeing each other off and on for months. Each time I demand something new from her, she complies without question. I fucking love that shit about her. Sure, I’ve had club mommas who just want to please me, but their submission wasn’t pure, wasn’t true. No, nothing like my Bella. Her complete and utter trust in me is one hundred percent down to her bones. She needs it like I need to be in control in the bedroom.
Not only that, but her soft side is one I want to protect and cherish.
I don’t know how I got so fucking lucky with this one, but no way am I letting her slip through my fingers.
I knock on the door twice then turn the knob, entering the room. Bella is sitting on her bed, books spread out all over it. She’s been staying at the club for the past eleven days. In those few days, she’s shown me what a hellcat she is in and out of bed, and I fucking love it. Crave it. Crave her. She’s a fucking tigress.
She makes me want, and I want her.
Today, I feel the need to test her. I’m going to push her and love every damn second of it.
She lifts her head up, and as soon as she sees it’s me, a large smile spans across her face.
“Hey,” she whispers, closing the book in her hands.
“Hey.” I shut the door and move to the bed. With my index finger, I press her chin up as I lean down to kiss her. Her kiss is the hottest one I’ve ever experienced in my life. I could kiss this woman forever and never get tired of the taste.
She falls into the kiss, and when I pull away, her lips try to follow mine, but she flutters her eyes open, instead.
“What’s going on?” she asks in that sexy way she does
when she’s aroused.
“Books off the bed and on your knees,” I order, which makes her pupils contract to points.
My body instantly reacts to that fire burning inside of her, but I’m taking my time. This time, she’s really going to know what it’s like to give up control to me.
She gathers the books up, stacking them one on top of the other then setting them down on the dresser. She moves in front of me, and with the sleek grace of years of training, falls to her knees. Her eyes surrounded by dark lashes lift to mine, her long, dark hair falling in a sheet down her back.
Fuck, that’s beautiful. Even with clothes on, it’s hot.
I clasp my hands behind my back as she stares at me with wonder. Fuck, in such a short amount of time, this woman is undoing me. That shit doesn’t happen. At least, it hasn’t before Bella. Only her.
“Bella?” I ask in an even tone, not giving away what she does to me unless you count my rock hard dick pressing against my jeans.
“Yes.” Her voice is so damn sultry it makes the hairs on the back of my neck rise in anticipation.
Now that I know what she tastes like, what she feels like, my body can’t get enough of her. If I had time to stay planted inside her every minute of the day, I probably would.
“Today, we’re going to have a little fun.”
Her lips tip up in a sexy smirk. I fucking love how she’s up for anything, and not in a way other women have been. No, everything Bella gives me is genuine and pure. It’s hard for a man to find that shit, and I’m sucking up every last drop of it. It fuels me.
“Okay,” she agrees, her full-blown smile coming out and practically knocking me on my ass.
“You sure about that?” I tease, raising my brow. She has no idea what’s rattling in this head of mine.
Her brilliant stare meets mine full-on. “Absolutely.”
I lean down and take her mouth hard and swift, and she grabs my shirt, gripping the fabric tight.
I pull away, making her moan in protest and smile.
“Fucking love that you’re up for anything.” I shed my leather and clothes and stand in front of her, my cock bobbing, telling me I need to move closer. I don’t. “Stand and come here.”