by Ann Jensen
Lali woke at the noise and began to cry. “Mama!”
Mama Rios held her granddaughter tightly trying to give comfort and quiet her.
“Why?” Volker gave an almost manic laugh. “You are the only witness who can tie me to Dark Zen. If you would have just died like you were supposed to, none of this,” he gestured to the couch, “would have been necessary.”
“Fine, kill me. Just let them go,” Tari pleaded.
Volker sneered at her. “Of course, I’m going to kill you. And them. Only choice you have is if they suffer before they die.”
Citlali’s cries were muffled by Mama Rios’ chest. The older woman looked so proud as if unafraid of the fate just described. Tari scanned the faces of the men in the room. Some appeared uncomfortable, but none gave any indication they would do anything to stop what was going on.
“My daughter is una bebe. She is no danger to you, ella can barely talk.” Tari pleaded with the monster now looming over her. Her words felt jumbled, but she prayed he would see reason.
“Tell you what, I’ll have my men lock her in the bathroom. You do what I say, tell me what I want to know, and we leave her there, untouched. Maybe someone finds her before she starves, maybe not.”
Tari knew it was the best and only deal she would be getting. It tore at her heart that Mama Rios was going to die with her, but she doubted these men would be leaving any witnesses.
The man who had kidnapped her snatched a screaming Lali out of her grandmother’s arms and vanished with the thrashing child.
“Mommy! No! Want Mommy!” A minute later the cries were muffled by a closed door and Tari’s heart broke as she heard Lali’s little fists hitting a door.
When the man who had carried away her daughter reentered the room, Volker smirked. “I’m going to ask you some questions, and for each you don’t answer, Michael is going to hurt the old woman.”
Tari nodded, not knowing what this insane man could possibly want to know.
“Your stunt with telling the Dark Sons about my little side business has caused me problems. I was just a few months away from retiring, now I have the Cartel breathing down my neck for their drugs, and the Russians wanting their money. Tell me where your boyfriend’s gang hid the drugs and girls.”
Tari was stunned. Why would this maniac think she would know anything that could be helpful? If she told him the truth, he would harm Dragon’s mother. Michael pulled out his gun and pointed it at Mama Rios.
“They have a vault in the basement of their club.” Tari made up the only lie she could think of.
“Speak English you stupid whore!” Volker snarled.
Her heart raced but no matter how hard she tried, the words went fuzzy in her mind and she knew nothing she said was in English.
“Shoot the woman in the leg.”
“No!” Tari scrambled up trying to stop the gunshot that echoed through the room.
She threw herself at the woman who had called her daughter, covering the woman’s body with her own. More gunshots echoed and Tari braced herself, waiting for pain and the death that would follow.
“Mija, are you okay?” Tari looked down into the concerned eyes of Mama Rios unable to believe they both seemed to be okay.
Pain lanced through her scalp as she was ripped off of the couch by her hair. Mama Rios’ shocked expression was replaced with Michael’s lifeless eyes staring at her from the floor. Volker dragged her across the room as she scrambled trying to find footing. She was tossed down on a blood covered body.
The olive complexion and handsome sharp features drew memories of a laughing man trying to tease her into a smile. He had guarded her in the hospital and tried to calm her when she had a panic attack at the Clubhouse. The prospect who had been so friendly was lying next to her. Unseeing eyes let her know that his last act on this earth had been to step between a bullet and her.
“Who is that?” Volker snarled.
“Flak. His name was Flak.” Tari sent up a prayer for the soul of the man who had tried to save them.
“How the fuck did he find us?”
Tari gave Volker an incredulous look. Like his earlier questions, she was baffled as to why he thought she could answer.
“I hope we’re interrupting.” The voice that came from the direction of the front door was completely unfamiliar and heavily accented. If Tari had to guess the man was from southern Russia near the Kazakhstan border.
Volker moved, revealing five new men, four with weapons out and pointed at the people in the room. They held their weapons with steady hands, their looks daring any of the men in the room to move without permission. Distinctive blackwork tattoos peeked out of the collars of their black t-shirts and Tari was left with no doubt that these were the Russians Volker had spoken of earlier. The Bratva, or Russian Mafia, were easy to pick out with their tattoos – a roadmap of their lives. A random Russian bad guy would have been bad enough, but from what little she knew from living in Eastern Europe, these men would be smart and ruthless.
“Andrey. What are you doing here?” Volker postured puffing up like he wasn’t the one at gunpoint.
“I think maybe you should call me Mr. Petrov.” The man not holding a gun spoke.
“Fine.” The word was ground out between clenched teeth. “Mr. Petrov what are you doing here?”
Petrov walked forward, his men falling in behind him with their weapons still drawn. “You don’t return my calls. You are not at your home or work. The houses where my girls are supposed to be, are empty. I am thinking you are trying to fuck me.”
“They aren’t your girls, they’re mine,” Volker growled. Tari couldn’t believe he was acting so hostile in the face of so many guns.
One of the over-muscled goons adjusted his aim to point directly at the dirty cop. “Should I kill him?” he asked in Russian.
“Not yet. I may still be able to squeeze some money out of him before we kill him.” Petrov switched back to English. “You have not finished paying for them and your payment is late.”
“I’m not one of your flunkies to be ordered around. You’ll get your money. I’m just cleaning up some internal matters.”
Tari got a crazy idea, and before she could think better, she spoke softly in Russian. “He lies like an American politician. He will be burning in hell by daybreak and you will never see a cent.”
Volker kicked her in the ribs and she curled into a ball to protect herself. When no second blow landed, she looked up to see Volker being held at gunpoint while Petrov made disappointed clicking sounds.
“The bitch is just one of my whores. She barely speaks English, only Spanish.” Volker held still but his whole body trembled.
“That did not sound like Spanish to me.” Petrov switched to Russian. “Is what he said true, midnight flower? Are you one of his whores?”
Tari stood up doing her best to ignore the dead man at her feet. She pulled back her shoulders and looked Petrov in the eyes for a moment before dropping her gaze as his culture preferred. “I am no man’s whore.”
The Russian looked her up and down. “You dress like a putana.”
“I was dressed for my man before this piece of shit kidnapped me.”
“What the fuck is she saying?” Volker’s face was red, his eyes wild.
Tari noticed Citlali’s yelling had finally stopped. She hoped her little girl had calmed. She sent up a prayer her daughter would be forgotten in all this chaos.
Mama Rios was sitting thin lipped on the couch and Volker’s men looked on the verge of running away. The three still alive bunched up near the back sliding-glass door as if they intended to bolt.
“She says you are lying to me.”
“Fucking bitch!” Volker stepped forward but was pulled up short when Tari saw Petrov tap his forehead with the muzzle of a gun.
Tari drew on every bit of courage she had and decided on an all or nothing bluff. She drew herself up to her full height and put the queen, Dragon had named her, into her voice. “He has started
a war with the Dark Sons. The man dead at my feet is a Dark Son, I am the Old Lady of a Dark Son, she is the mother of a Dark Son, and the child screaming in the other room is the daughter of a Dark Son. If you let this man kill us you will be at war. I promise you, you don’t want to fuck with the Dark Sons.”
Petrov’s lip twitched upward in an almost smile. “I like a strong woman. But you forget, little sun, no one knows I am here. This man owes me one hundred thousand dollars. Are you worth that to your man?”
Tari held her facade not sure what to do. She had no idea if the Dark Sons would pay to get her back. She looked over at Mama Rios hoping for some inspiration. There had to be something she could promise this man.
“Pity.” Petrov looked back at Volker. “Do you have my money?”
“Yes.” Tari wondered if the detective was lying. “It’s in the safe in the bedroom down that hall.”
“You had better not be lying to me.”
Terror rose up inside of Tari like a wave. If Volker did have the money what would that mean for her and Mama Rios? Shadows danced outside the front window drawing her attention. Was someone out there?
Chapter 36
Winning can be bittersweet ?
“Package secure.” Dozer’s deep voice whispered across their comms.
Though he couldn’t see them, Dragon knew his daughter was in Dozer’s arms. She would be safe. The throbbing of his pulse against his throat lessoned. The sound of the gunshots as they came over the line via Flak’s cell had almost broken him. He couldn’t dwell on it now, but he owed his sanity and future happiness to that man’s sacrifice.
The cool night was starting to seep into his bones as they stood outside waiting for the signal to breach. The only thing keeping him still was he could hear Tari’s voice through the coms. He couldn’t understand most of what she said, as she was speaking mostly in Russian, but her voice kept him level.
Hawk chuckled low and Dragon glared at him. The four of them were crouched next to the front door ready to make entry once the snipers called the ready.
“Your woman just threatened a high-ranking member of the Russian Mafia. Apparently if the Bratva don’t man up and protect her, they will be at war with the Dark Sons.” Hawk’s whispered words had them all smiling.
Dragon shook his head in wonder. Tari had a heart of gold, the soul of a saint, and a backbone made of titanium. She was more than he ever dreamed he could have and never again would he let her be in this level of danger.
“In position. Three ducks lined up right in a row.” Sharp’s status was the last piece to be put into play.
Dragon watched Hawk key on his mic. “On my signal take down ducks. All teams, hard entry. Only engage Russians if necessary. If possible, take primary dickhead alive.”
Several clicks could be heard over the line confirming the orders. Highdive stood up pressing against the side of the door ready to open it for the rest of the team to enter.
“In 5..4..3..2”
Glass shattered on the silent count of one. Highdive threw open the door and Dragon charged in with Hawk and the rest of his team at his back. Two men lay dead off to the right and a third off to the left on the floor near his mother. He was proud she had crouched down behind a couch arm taking cover and out of any line of fire. Near the back of the room four men in business suits protected a fifth.
Grinder raced from the back picking up Mama under his arm. With Colt covering him, they quickly made an exit. Tari stood like the Egyptian queen she had been named after staring down the barrel of a gun held by Volker. The Russians had retreated to a corner, their guns out but smartly not pointed at any of the fifteen, well-armed, and pissed off Dark Sons.
Hawk slung his AR around to his back. “Drop the gun, Volker.”
“I drop the gun and you kill me.” Volker’s hands were shaking but he kept the gun up and pointed at the woman Dragon loved.
The man wasn’t wrong, and it put them all in an impossible position.
“I don’t have a shot.” Sharp’s frustrated voice came over the comms.
At this range, every man here could take out the fucker, but it would take a surprise shot at the base of his skull to insure he couldn’t also pull the trigger.
Volker was positioned a few feet away from a closed closet door with Tari between him and most of the room. Hawk and Dragon were closest to Tari on the right, Max and Ink were closest to Volker to the left. No way to get anyone behind him.
“Bud’ gotov.” Dragon winced at how Tari’s voice trembled despite her calm appearance. Her language problems obviously flaring under stress.
“Speak English!” Volker screamed, but it didn’t seem to bother his woman.
She looked to the right and her eyes went wide. Her face filled with terror as she looked over Volker’s shoulder. “No. Don’t, he’ll shoot me!”
Dragon stood shocked as he watched Volker spin to face an invisible enemy. Tari practically dove into his arms as Max tackled the now off-balance idiot. Dragon gripped his woman and spun them so his body shielded hers.
“Clear,” Max called out.
Everyone was silent for several long seconds before Ink’s Texas twang rolled through the room. “Did she use, ‘Oh my God, look over there!’ and it worked?”
Masculine laughter filled the room and Dragon held his woman tight. He looked at her beautiful face and was amazed at the small smile on her lips.
“You found me.”
“I would find you anywhere, mi reina.”
“Citlali is in a room somewhere.” Tari looked around.
“Dozer got her out before we ever came in.” Dragon brushed a quick kiss across his woman’s lips before looking toward the man who had created so much pain.
Volker stood with his hands zip-tied behind his back, Max holding him in place.
Dragon nodded thanks to his Brother. “Good reflexes.”
Max snorted. “Your woman told me to be ready. Though I had no idea for what.”
Dragon looked over at Tari who just shrugged.
“Fuck you all.” Volker’s spit barely missed him.
Tari surprised Dragon by striding up and punching Volker straight in the dick. The man crumpled to his knees and she kicked him in the face, stumbling back from the force of her kick. “That is for hitting my baby girl.”
Dragon’s growl was echoed by several of his Brothers. “He hit Citlali?”
Rage had his muscles chording with tension as Tari nodded.
“She’s out in the van with Mama, you should go out to them.” His voice was flat, his eyes locked on the man who would soon have his undivided attention.
Tari started walking towards the door, then paused, and in a quiet voice said, “For every nightmare our little girl is going to have, he should pay in pain. Be an instrument of Karma.” Her words stunned him. She reached up and kissed him before striding out the door into the night.
“You must be quite a man to tame one such as her.” The Russian’s voice drew Dragon’s attention back to the fact things were not done.
Hawk stepped forward crossing his arms over his chest. “Andrey Petrov.”
“Jonathan Windsor.” Petrov raised an eyebrow. Dragon was shocked. He had known Hawk’s given name was John but not his last name. How did this guy?
“When did you expand from drugs and overpriced loans to peddling underage girls?”
“Phftt.” Petrov waved a hand. “This I did not do. Officer Volker borrowed the money to start his business from me. The girls were his collateral.”
“You’re walking a fine line with our agreement.” Hawk’s voice was deeper than usual.
“Ah, but I am on the right side of that line. I do not traffic in women, do not sell my product to your people, or on your property. You and your men do not bother me or mine.”
Dragon knew the Dark Sons had treaties with many underground organizations, he just hadn’t realized the Bratva was one of them. Deals like this were what kept them safe and let them hold their ter
ritories and protect their families, but it didn’t mean he had to like it.
“You going to have a problem with this?” Hawk nodded to the bound man groaning on the floor.
“I get my money, my business is done.” The Russian shrugged.
“And the collateral?” Hawk’s voice dripped with disgust.
“If the debt is paid the collateral is of no interest to me.”
“You’ll have your money tomorrow.”
The two men nodded and the Russians put away their weapons. It turned Dragon’s stomach that bottom feeders like that could walk away without consequence. He studied his President’s face but, as usual, there were no clues to be had there.
Crash slung his rifle to his back. “Smoke and I will look for the safe he said held the money.”
Even if the money wasn’t found, Dragon had a feeling the Club would be covering the cost to ensure the freedom of the girls Volker had abused for God only knew how long. He squatted down next to Volker and pulled the whimpering man’s face up by his hair.
“You and me. We’re going to spend some time together.”
Chapter 37
Fighting makes me hotter than a leather seat in August.
Tari woke to Dragon’s warm arms lifting her out of her daughter’s bed. A quick glance down showed her little angel snuggled fast asleep in a pile of stuffed animals. She wrapped her arms around his neck and settled her head against his chest, soaking in the steady rhythm of his heart. The first rays of morning sunshine peeped around the curtains, giving an almost mystical feel to the apartment.
She didn’t want to ruin this time together with questions about the previous night, but she needed to know one thing. “Is it over?”
“Yes. Mi reina.” He laid her down on the large, soft bed that she had yet to sleep in. Long, damp, black hair framed his chiseled features. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and her eyes couldn’t help but wander his sculptured tattooed arms and chest. Black sweats hung low on his hips making her wet at the promise of what was under the fabric.