by KB Winters
“Vivi,” I called out to her but she didn’t answer. A few minutes later she came back to what could loosely be called the living room with her sticker-covered laptop in her hand and a scowl on her face.
“Let’s go.” She brushed past me and kicked open the door before marching towards the clubhouse without a look back or another word.
Great. Vivi was surly enough on her own but when she was pissed off, like she was now, she could be a damn terror. By the time I caught up with her, she was leaning against the pool table with her laptop open and her eyes glued to the screen.
“I’ll get everyone together.”
“Great,” she snarled into her screen.
Fifteen minutes later, Cross had gathered the whole MC into the game room because women still weren’t allowed in the Merry Mayhem room. “All right, Vivi what do you have for us?”
She took a deep breath and stared, raking her fingers through her hot pink hair as she stood and fixed her eyes on the silver Mayhem skull, dotted with onyx and ruby. “I’ve been doing some digging into Salinas and into Carlito specifically and it turns out that the guy isn’t all that sophisticated. He had or has dozens of mortgages on his homes, from his lavish villa in Tamaulipas to a bunch of shitty little houses that were clearly stash houses.”
“You got addresses for those stash houses?” Teddy looked around until her gaze landed on Golden Boy.
“I do.”
“And?” Cross was losing his patience with her slow drip of information.
“And,” she sighed impatiently. “I sold three of the addresses to the Familia De La Muerte cartel.” She stood there with her back straight and her shoulders squared, ready to take on whatever bullshit the guys flung at her.
“You did what?” Cross stood with his arms folded over his chest, blue eyes glaring at Vivi.
“You heard me. They murdered Kat and the Familia De La Muerte are in a position to do something about it. You guys are not. I’m sorry if that hurts your feelings but it’s a fact. You can’t take these guys on.”
“What the fuck do you mean you sold them?” Gunnar was on his feet, an angry glare on his face and murder in his eyes. It took everything I had not to stand up and protect my girl, but I knew she could handle it.
She’d want to handle it and would probably kick my ass if I tried to intervene. “What part of that is unclear, Gunnar?”
Angry, Gunnar took a step forward and then I did intervene. “Watch yourself, man.”
“You heard what she said, Jag. You’re seriously gonna take her side?”
“Jesus fuck!” Vivi growled and tossed a cue ball across the room, the loud crack against the concrete wall shut everyone up. “Yeah I get it, you’re pissed that I did this without talking to you but guess what? I don’t fucking answer to you. Not any of you,” she said, letting her angry glare linger on me a little longer than everyone else. “You don’t have the man or firepower to fight a cartel and you damn well know it,” she told Cross, so damn confident in her convictions that a few of the guys sat down, more intrigued than angry now.
“That’s our choice to make,” Cross insisted. “Not yours.”
Vivi nodded and folded her arms across her chest, feet crossed at the ankles as she leaned against the pool table. “And I haven’t taken that away from you. I exacted a bit of my own revenge because I liked Kat and I don’t fucking like anyone.”
“And when Carlito retaliates?” Golden Boy asked, his face impassive and his tone even, which surprised me.
“On who? Us or the Familia De La Muerte? Look,” she groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “When Carlito’s stash houses are hit, they’ll kill a few of his guys, steal his product and burn that place to the ground. That means he loses money and men, the two things that keep him feeling like a big fucking deal. Without them—”
“Without them he’ll come after us and our families, or don’t you give a shit about that?” Cross interrupted.
“You mean the way he came after Katrina when you did absolutely fucking nothing? Get real if you think there’s anything you can do to end this without violence. When he starts losing men and money, Carlito will become desperate and that’s when he’ll fuck up and make a mistake.”
“That tiny motherfucker is cocky as shit,” Stitch said, agreeing with her, another surprising move since we were all pretty sure he was still targeting the Bastards because of Marisol.
“But killing a dozen men won’t do shit,” Savior grunted angrily.
Vivi blew out a breath. “You know this isn’t my first rodeo. And if you guys think it’ll stop with the stash houses, you’re naïve as fuck. Familia De La Muerte wants Salinas territory, they always do, which means they’ll keep going without us. Salinas will be fighting two enemies. At least.”
Damn, my girl was sexy as hell when she was being an evil criminal mastermind. Her plan was well thought out and even though it wasn’t what I would have done, it did have plenty of merit. “Okay so what else do we need to know?”
“Watch the news, there have been at least a dozen deaths in and around Tamaulipas, and that’s just in the past twenty four hours.” With a disgusted snort, Vivi slammed her laptop shut and stared at my group of brothers.
“Maybe your plan does have some solid points,” Gunnar conceded, “but it wasn’t your plan to execute.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Gunnar. I do what I do and when your club needs help, I provide it. I don’t work for you and I don’t fucking answer to you. You don’t like how I choose to handle my shit? Too damn bad.” She snatched up her laptop and sent a hurt glare my way. “You know what? Do it your way, I don’t give a shit. I guess you’d rather plan the battle than win the war.” She stomped off, muttering about idiotic men with egos bigger than their cocks.
“What the fuck, Jag?”
I glared at Gunnar, ready for a goddamn fight after listening to my brothers tear into my woman. “What’s the matter, Gunnar? Pissed off you didn’t think of it first?”
“Come the fuck on, guys!” Stitch clapped his hands loudly and grinned. “That was a genius fucking plan. Now Carlito has to fight us on this side of the border and the Familia on his home turf. That can only spell good things for us.”
“Of course you’d say that,” Gunnar snorted. “You want him dead before he comes after your ol’ lady and we all know it.”
“Settle the fuck down!” Cross roared. “I don’t have to like it but what Vivi did was good thinking. It gives us just the edge we need to get a leg up on this asshole.”
“And I think you’d all show a little fucking gratitude given the hit Vivi took for us,” I reminded them. Again. I didn’t like watching them go after her like that and even though I knew that no woman was more capable than my woman, it still left a bad taste in my mouth.
“How long are you gonna milk that for, Jag?”
I turned to Golden Boy and frowned. “Until every one of you mother fuckers remember that she could have said no. The feds could have locked us all up for a lot longer than they did her. I’m not saying give her special treatment, but like Vivi said, she doesn’t work for us.”
“That’s bullshit—” Gunnar began but Cross cut him off.
“That’s enough. We have some planning to do so everyone to Merry Mayhem in five minutes.”
Chapter Thirty - Stitch
“Are you gonna be okay?” Marisol had just started to get some color back in her skin and she was just starting to talk and smile a little bit more. And then Kat was murdered. Horrifically so and ever since, she’d been quiet as hell. No, not quiet, silent. “Please, Marisol, say something. I have club shit to deal with today but I need to know you’ll be okay while I’m gone.”
I never understood what could make a man want to take a bullet for a chick, or to give up the endless supply of pussy on offer when girls found out I was in a biker club. But now, I kind of got it. I wasn’t in love with her or anything like that, but I did give a shit about her.
Marisol
stared at me, her big brown eyes lifeless. The spark that usually lit up her whole damn face, extinguished. And it was all Carlito’s fault. It may not bring her spark back, but I would make him pay for that. She shrugged, like it didn’t matter if she’d be okay or not. She gave a short nod before turning her gaze out the window.
“Marisol.” My voice came out low, guttural as I cupped her face to make her look at me. “Please, babe, I need you to show me some signs of life. I need to take care of business but I won’t be able to if I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Stitch. Really. Go do whatever it is you need to do.” Then she sat up and held my face in her hands like I was more than her protector. More than someone she used to fuck. “Just be careful. Enough people have died because of me.”
“Not because of you, Marisol. Because of that fucking psycho and believe me babe, as soon as I get the fucking chance, he’s a dead man.”
Her lips twitched into a sad smile. “Be careful, Stitch. I won’t ask what you have to do because I don’t want to know, but I do want you to come back safe.”
“Aww shit, girl, you do care.” She smacked my arm and that show of life, that smile, pulled a laugh from me. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.”
Her eyes said she thought I was full of shit, but Marisol nodded anyway and stood, smoothing the plain green shirt down, which hung loose because she’d been eating like a damn bird. “And don’t worry about me, Stitch.” To prove her point, Marisol went to the door of the small apartment and opened it.
She left before I could get my boots on and go after her, but when I caught up with her, she had just stepped into the kitchen where Jana wrapped her into a big, welcoming hug. “Marisol, it’s so good to see you! How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better, Jana. But it smells amazing in here. How can I help?”
Jana looked thrilled by Marisol’s change, but I was as suspicious as I was surprised. She’d been a goddamn mute for the past few days and now she was offering to help? “We’re putting together some more leftovers but we’re being creative about it so grab an apron and a cutting board. There’s some dark meat over there with your name on it.”
Marisol looked over at me, brows arched as if to say, “See, I’m fine.” And even though I was still skeptical as hell, she seemed all right. Plus, I knew Jana would mother the hell out of her until she was fine for real. “See you later, ladies.”
“Be careful,” Marisol called out to me just before I left the kitchen, making me smile to hear signs of life from her. She’d been through a fuck ton of shit lately and I knew it would take some time before things—before she—got back to normal, but I couldn’t help but want to speed that shit up.
“Hey man.” I was so goddamn lost in thought that I didn’t see Gunnar until he was right in front of me.
“What’s up Gunnar?” He was the last fucking person I wanted to talk to, but he was my brother and that was the only reason I didn’t punch his fucking lights out.
“How’s it, uh, going?” Gunnar looked nervous, which I didn’t even think he could feel, but it didn’t make shit between us right.
“Fine. Did you want something?”
“Nothing, just…fuck man, I’m sorry about—”
I cut him off because I didn’t want to hear his goddamn excuses. “Don’t worry about it, Gunnar. We’ve got shit to take care of right now and honestly I don’t fucking believe you anyway.”
“Maybe I deserve that but it’s true. I am sorry and I know none of this shit is your fault.”
“Right,” I snorted and spotted Cross headed our way. “What’s up, Prez?”
“I just got a delivery. A fucking phone.” He held up the phone, obviously a burner and an old fucking one at that. “Come on.”
Gunnar and I followed him into Merry Mayhem where the rest of the club was already waiting. “Carlito?”
“That’s my guess,” Cross said as he flipped open the phone and played the voicemail. A heavily accented, slightly nasally voice sounded and it was a voice I knew all too well. Gunnar too. A voice neither of us was likely to forget.
“All right Mr. Cross, you have my attention. And now that you do, you might not want it. You have fucked with me and now I intend to fuck you back.”
The room fell silent as the gravity of Carlito’s words sank in.
The fight was on.
Chapter Thirty-One - Max
Waking up with Jana in my arms was the best damn part of my day and today that was especially true. Her curves, softer now since the birth of our babies, pressed up against me, teasing and tempting me awake. With a low groan as she stretched and smiled up at me, her green eyes opening with a sparkle. “Have a good sleep?”
I nodded because every night with her cuddled up beside me was a good one. Jana was my own personal dream chaser, unknowingly slaying the nightmares that sometimes still made sleep difficult. “Yeah.” It wasn’t the most satisfying sleep because today wasn’t going to be an easy day. Not by a fucking long shot. But, I was ready for it. Battle ready. “Better with you right here.”
Her skin flushed and she propped her head up on her hand. “I’m glad.”
Just those two words were all I needed to hear from my wife to settle my mind and focus on the day ahead. All of the whore houses were closed today aside from the private, invitation-only ones that no one knew about and those who did were too afraid of the consequences to talk. That didn’t change the fact that we had to make sure our girls were safe. All of them. They were under our protection but they also made up a big chunk of our income, so security was tight everywhere, from the weed shops to the brothels as well as all of our personal holdings. Carlito was a crazy motherfucker and we didn’t put anything past him. “How’d you sleep, babe?”
Jana’s smile brightened and I felt it all the way down to my bones. This woman, this petite little blonde who’d taken my life by storm and made me whole, was my rock.
She climbed on top of me, her knees bracketing my hips as she leaned forward to cup my face. “I love you Max. I love the hell out of you and I know you’re gonna come back to me because it took me too damn long to find you.” She smashed her lips to mine in a forceful kiss that stole my breath and got me hard in one second flat. She slipped her tongue inside my mouth and deepened the kiss until I was ready to plunge into her and forget that today might be the day I lost another one of my brothers.
Too damn soon, she pulled back with a kind smile. “Now go out there and kill those motherfuckers. Do it for Kat. Do it for Marisol. And do it because I’m telling you that it’s okay.” She cupped my face with an intense look on her face. “I’m telling you, Max, to unleash that part of you that you think you have to keep from me, from all of us. Let that guy out to rip these fuckers apart and make them regret they ever fucked with the Reckless Bastards.”
My smile was so damn big I was pretty sure my face was gonna split right there with my girl on top of me, gently grinding into me just in case I forgot what I had waiting for me back at home. “You’re so hot when you get bloodthirsty, babe.” Then I grabbed her ass and pulled her down against my cock and kissed the hell out of her, making sure she knew exactly how much she meant to me. How dedicated I was to making sure I wrapped her in my arms tonight.
After bringing my wife to a quick orgasm, I slipped from the bed and looked at her, splayed out and naked with a satisfied smile on her face. “I expect you right beside me tonight when I go to sleep.”
“Where else would I be?” Her laugh sounded behind me as I left the room to hug and kiss my kids before I went downstairs to the clubhouse. To strap up.
That was the thing about being a military man, no matter what branch you were in, the readiness never disappeared. It came right back, just like riding a bike.
I strapped a gun to each of my ankles, back up pieces to go along with the one at my side and tucked into a holster at the back of my jeans. I added a few knives for good measure because when I went to war, I did whatever I h
ad to in order to survive. There were no rules of engagement, not when the enemy didn’t follow the same rules, and this wasn’t a sanctioned sport. I had to survive any way I could.
End of story.
When I was strapped up, I joined the guys and Vivi in the main room, walking through a big ass cloud of cigarette smoke to get there. “We good to go?”
Vivi nodded, her sarcastic wit just the thing we all needed to keep us focused on what we had to do. “As long as you’re ready to deep fry a cartel boss, sure.” A few of the guys laughed and she rolled her eyes, still not quite ready to forgive any of us for our display last week.
“Anyway, Carlito is on the move, about ten miles from the meeting spot.”
“You sure, ‘cause we’re not supposed to meet for another five hours.” Cross’ expression mirrored what we were all thinking, at least what I was thinking.
“Ambush,” Golden Boy and Savior said at the same time.
“Probably.” Cross raked a hand through his hair in stress and blew out a frustrated breath. “Goddammit!” He was on the brink of a tirade but the appearance of Vivi’s friend Peaches, curves on display, halted it.
Thankfully.
“Okay boys, Vivi said you might need some comms and a contact of mine came through spectacularly. We got some top of the line radios with a fifty-mile radius and unless there’s a military or police operation going on in the vicinity, you should have zero interference.”
“What the hell do we need comms for?” Gunnar was as gruff as he always was, but he seemed to be even worse when it came to Peaches.
She looked at him, brows raised and amusement shining in her eyes. “So that you can communicate, obviously. Now put them in and test them out so we can get the kinks out before you bounce.”
Vivi leaned back in her chair and kicked her booted feet up on the card table with a grin. “And all you mother fuckin’ angels can just call me Charlie.”
At least she thought it was funny.