“I was assaulted by the elders of the cult, even being a married woman to one of their most devout followers. I . . . I was pregnant as a result of it, and this was all before I found the club. I ended up adopting the child out to a good family, knowing I couldn’t keep it after . . . after how it was . . .”
I can’t listen to anymore of this. I break the distance between us and pull Venom into my arms, needin’ her to know she’s secure and she’s okay. Nothin’ bad will ever happen to her again, and now I’m startin’ to put the pieces together.
“Sorry.” Venom shakes her head and fights her tears through continuing her story, pulling herself away from me so she can look at our Prez. “Long story short, I thought I convinced my husband to leave one night, to grab our daughter and run for our lives, to run for our freedom. Only, when we finally got a good bit out into the field, I found out he set me up. My daughter was ripped from my arms and I was knocked out. I woke up in a room and watched as a homeless woman was killed in front of me, how her teeth were filed down, how they did everything they could to make her look like me. They burned her alive so she’d be hard to recognize. I . . . I have the address of their cult, because his present wife is trying to get out and she’s trying to take my daughter with her, but I can’t let that happen. I’ve been fighting for so long to get her back after she was taken from me . . .”
“We’re going to get her back,” I promise Venom, bringing her closer to me. I need to hold her right now, I need her to know she has my support and I’m not pissed at her. Not after hearing her story, not after knowin’ why I fuckin’ found her photos online and articles sayin’ she was dead. Everythin’ finally makes sense.
“Alright, this is what we’re gonna do. Every member of the club except Chuckles is gonna ride up with us to Boston, and we’re gonna go get your kid,” Boss declares, then looks over to me. “I need you to go in the armory and get everything we’ll need, now. There’s no time to waste.”
I give Boss a nod in understanding and kiss Venom lightly on the forehead. There aren’t words that can tell her what she means to me right now, but I hope she knows what type of impact she’s had on my life. I’ve known I’ve loved her for ages, but god damn, I know what it’s like to have the woman you’re supposed to be with.
Venom’s my fuckin’ ol’ lady and after all this is over, I’ll make sure everyone knows it.
Chapter Eighteen
Venom
I never thought they were going to rally in behind me without giving me some sort of shit, but instead they were fully supportive and didn’t even bat an eye when I said I had the cult’s address. At that point, Boss started laying down orders and we all got ready to make hell rain down upon these fascist bastards. Now my arms are wrapped around Ricochet’s waist and we’re only a couple miles away from the address Beretta gave me.
My palms are sweaty and my heart hasn’t beat this fast in years. The mere thought of being reconnected with Peyton again is making me so nervous, though I’m not sure why. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t seen her in years and I don’t know if she even knows about me. I’m not sure if it’s because she’s about to have her entire life turned upside down and I’m worried about the resentment she could possibly throw my way. There are so many things to be worried about, but I’ll try my best to breathe through each moment, knowing I can make it through anything because I’ve lived through hell already.
As the road captain Muffler heads the charge, motioning with his hand that we’re making a left. Most of the guys rode their bikes out, but Devi and Reno rode together in a blacked-out SUV. The idea is I’ll be riding back to the club with Peyton, her stepmom, and her half-brother in that vehicle.
We go left and roll off the pavement to some sort of gravel. There’s a line of pine trees circling this place so we can’t see shit, but it doesn’t matter, we keep going forward. There’s too much at stake here to simply turn back and we all know it to be true. While I can’t attest to everyone’s feelings, I’m sure they all want the cult gone too, so if we’re lucky that’s what we’ll do today and in doing so, it’ll help keep our neck of the woods cleaner. Vex is still down in Virginia, but if Boston is gone, we can lend some help her way.
We make our way down their long lane and the second we come into view tons of people are coming out of their homes. It’s a mixture of RVs, fifth-wheel trailers, and a couple mobile homes. Mug leads us to the center of the place, where the large brick house is and we all hop off our bikes.
“Who in God’s name are you?!” a man questions, but from the red collar he’s wearing I can tell he’s an elder.
I practically jump off the back of Ricochet’s bike and go right up to him. “Don’t act like you haven’t heard about me. I’m Vanna. Vanna Markle,” I click my tongue as I say my last name, not wanting to look like I’m afraid at all, but the reality is I am afraid. I’m fucking petrified of what’s about to happen and pray it all goes smoothly.
His eyes widen as he realizes who I am and what I mean to these people. The fact that they use my name as a way to make others afraid makes me sick.
“Where is your leader?!” Boss hollers to the group of people who now surround us. They’re all dressed in this off-white, creamish color and they look around to each other. Of course they’re going to be quiet.
The white door to the brick house comes open and out comes Eric, dressed in white, with a red collar and sleeves . . . he’s the leader of this place? Fuck. Beretta failed to mention that tidbit.
I clench my jaw at the mere sight of him and want nothing but his blood. After what he’s done to me, after what I’m sure he’s done to countless others all in the name of God, no. They’re fucking insane. Everyone here is out of their damn mind. God would never support what they’re doing. He’d never cast judgement on women who choose to use their bodies before marriage. He’d probably count it as a sin, but he’d forgive them because that’s why his son died. I grew up in a household that respected religion, and when Eric told me about these people . . . I thought they respected it too, but they don’t, they shifted the interpretations of his word to fulfill what they wanted.
His evil eyes land on me and he scoffs, “Never did I think you’d have the guts to show back up here.”
“Jesus, I already want to kill this motherfucker,” Muffler groans, and the cult followers gasp in shock at his foul language.
“I don’t blame you,” Ricochet hisses, but the reasoning for his hatred is understandable.
“I’m here for Peyton, Tara, and Simon Markle. So, it’s best you hand them over and anyone else who’d like to leave your ranks or I’ll make this visit super fun for us all,” Boss tells him, staring daggers into his pathetic eyes.
He lets out a laugh, “What in the world makes you think my family would want to leave with you? Any member of my family at that?!” Eric raises his arms and looks out onto the crowd surrounding us. We’re heavily outnumbered, but unlike them we have the firepower to make sure we all stay safe.
He begins coming down the three stairs that lead out of his house and the door immediately opens behind him, and out comes a dark haired woman, with a little boy and a blonde haired girl . . . but she couldn’t be a girl, god. She’s practically a teenager.
Her green eyes widen as her sights land on me, and she looks over to the dark-haired woman beside her. I watch as her mouth opens, like she’s asking a question and then the woman nods. Peyton runs down the stairwell, but she’s quickly grabbed by the back of her hair by her father and she screams out in agony.
Ricochet loses his shit first, wasting no time crossing the distance between them. He grabs the back of his gun and slams it against Eric’s head and Eric releases Peyton for a split second, giving her the opportunity to run directly toward me.
She collides into my body and looks up at me with tear-filled eyes. “I thought you were dead. I thought they . . . everyone said you were dead.”
“No, baby, I’m here. I’m here and I’m neve
r letting you go ever again,” I tell her, holding her close to my body tears begin to flow out of my eyes too. I’ve dreamed of this moment for longer than I could remember, and it’s finally here. I finally have my daughter in my arms again.
“Reno, Devi, take them and get them out of here. Anyone else who wants to leave this cult, get in the van now. I’m sure this will be your only opportunity to leave safely,” Boss shouts to the group of people.
No one moves at first, but I make my way into the SUV and Tara comes down with her little boy and quickly gets settled. We all look out through the windows and we see women who appear to be in their twenties, a couple in their thirties, and some girls who might be fifteen or sixteen. The SUV is packed quickly to the point where the younger girls are sitting on the floor. “Let’s get going and get you all out of here, okay?” Devi turns back from the passenger seat and looks at the group of people.
Everyone nods in silence, wanting nothing more than to leave this forsaken place.
Epilogue
Ricochet
6 months later . . .
How the fuck is this my life? I ask myself that question every day. I’m in it with Vanna and I’m damn sure she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Or at least I was until I had the opportunity to meet her daughter, Peyton. I know I’m not her biological father, but I fuckin’ wish I was. Havin’ a kid in my life has completely changed my perspective. So much so that I’ve talked to Frank about renting the three-bedroom apartment on top of Frank’s garage. He said the older woman who’s been rentin’ it the last fifteen years wants to move to North Carolina, and it’s perfect for us. Not only is there a bedroom for Peyton, but there’s another room . . . and havin’ Peyton in my life makes me wanna shove a kid inside Vanna. I want another kid, and I want one ‘cause havin’ my heart swell this big has been phenomenal.
“You know there’s a problem with the application you filled out,” Frank tells me as I’m sparring with one of his new guys. It’s someone who isn’t sure if he wanted to join the gym with a membership. I highly recommend paying the fifty bucks a month for unlimited matches and three personal training sessions. It’s a no brainer.
I hold a fist up to pause the match and look over to Frank. “What do you mean there’s a problem?”
Frank shakes his head and looks down at the floor. “It’s best you come with me, Ricochet. I think I need to tell you this in private.” Frank motions with me to follow him and I excuse myself to go handle this.
I walk across the gym and follow Frank. He opens the door and I go in right behind him and look to the left where he has the chairs in front of his desk, but instead of empty chairs, I see a familiar older woman with the biggest smile on her face. “The moment I saw you in here and asked Frank who was buying, he said a guy from the MC up the street, and I knew it must’ve been you, sweetheart. Goodness, I’m so happy you’re gonna rent it. It’s beautiful and living there has made me happy for so many years,” Mamie says, rising from her chair she grabs my hand and gives me an encouraging squeeze.
“I don’t understand, what’s goin’ on here?” I look between the two older folks, and Mamie cackles lightly.
“Ricochet, you’re getting the apartment, but I want to leave all the furniture I bought here as a gift. I’m moving in with my daughter in North Carolina and I have no need for it. It’d just be sitting in storage, costing this old lady money, and I’d rather it be appreciated. Most of it I bought late last year, and Frank renovated the apartment two years ago for me. But, I have a question for you.”
She has to be kidding me. Who in their right mind would leave an entire apartment full of furniture? Furniture that was just purchased last year at that.
“I . . . I don’t know what to say, Mamie.” I have a hell of a time finding the words, but I suppose there’s only one thing I can say. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
“Well, there’s a catch.” Mamie smirks.
“Whatever you want.” I’m bein’ honest as hell, whatever she needs, I’ll do it.
“Frank here told me those two southern belles are from your club, the redhead and the blonde, yeah?”
“Yeah, that’s Faith and Iris.”
“I have a proposition for you, or rather for your club. These two ladies have come into my diner many, many times. We’ve gotten into a few conversations, and I know enough about the ladies to know they like to cook, and while I still intend on owning Mamie’s, I’m looking for two full-time managers to run the diner. I’d like to extend positions to Iris and Faith, but, I haven’t seen them in a few days and I leave in a week.”
“I can get you in contact with them so you can talk to them about it,” I tell her with a smile, knowin’ she’s always been a great lady, but damn I didn’t know she was this phenomenal.
“Perfect, and there’s one more thing I need you to do, Ricochet. You don’t let a sweet girl like Venom go, you hear me? She’s meant for you. And if you ask me, I think you’re meant to be that little girl of her’s daddy.” Mamie opens her arms and gives me a strong hug, makin’ me realize just how lucky I have it.
I love Vanna, and I sure as hell love Peyton. They’re my family, and I’m the luckiest bastard in the entire world.
Dear Readers,
I hope you thoroughly enjoyed Venom and Ricochet’s book. Omen’s book is coming next, and it’ll pick up right after Venom left with Peyton and the SUV filled with cult refugees. After that Nikki’s book will be releasing, so make sure you pre-order the books below.
Let me know if you’d like me to write a short novella about Venom and Ricochet, I loved these characters so much that I might try to touch base on them again.
Much love,
Liz
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Venom's Secret (Iron Vex MC Book 4) Page 9