“Didn’t Kat say all they wanted was the money?” I believe that’s what she told Kade. God knows, she wasn’t gonna talk to me about it. She doesn’t trust me. Not that I can blame her.
“That’s what they let her overhear. That doesn’t mean that’s the truth. They coulda been playin’ with her head. Wantin’ to see if she’d break and give up any info she had. That’s what I’d do. I’d send in the biggest, ugliest motherfucker to scare her. Rough her up a bit. Then I’d stage an argument right outside her room to make it sound like somethin’ it wasn’t to weaken her defenses. Part of torture isn’t all physical. It’s mental. They were playin’ her.”
“You’re sure?” I prompt.
“No. But I know how I work, and I’d imagine they’re not much different with that much bad blood.”
That’s a valid point. I know enough about Ghost’s past, from Pops, but not all of it. Only the parts where Big helped fake his death due to a deal gone sideways. Then Ghost joined us, became VP, Pops fell hard for him, and they’ve been keepin’ tabs on Katrina. I got in the middle of all that when I did what I did. No use in trudging up past shit. That’s done. I’ve gotta face the present. Do what I gotta do to get her safely to the cabin I built for her and our girls. The rest’ll have to fall in place. Spillin’ blood has never been a problem for me. If someone has to bleed to protect my Tiger, then so be it. If Big says Rosie’s the right person to guard my family, I respect him enough to heed his orders. They weren’t made lightly. And knowing what I now know about Rosie, I’m happy he meddled. The Texas chapter might be the ones in the spotlight. But when you fuck with one Sacred Sinner, you fuck with the rest of ‘em. And we don’t go quietly.
Chatting a few more minutes with Big about what’s goin’ down. I finish the call in time to watch Kade roll two stuffed-to-the-gills suitcases to the front door. He lifts his chin at them, leaning against the wall next to the doorway, smirking like the D-bag he is. “Kat said you were to load ‘em in the truck.”
She sure did, the bossy sexpot.
Standing, I shove my phone in my pocket and start for the luggage. “I know, smartass.” Stopping in front of my brother, I take a page outta Kat’s book of sass and roll my eyes. “I’m also buyin’ her Sno-Caps, remember, and she’s forbade … forbidden … ah, fuck … whatever the word is, from arguin’ the fact that Sno-Caps are not a road trip snack. They’re strictly a movie watchin’ delight.”
Kade’s lingering smirk hooks into a half-cocked smile. “You’re serious about this Sno-Caps thing? I thought it was a joke.”
I arch a brow. “Kat and I take our Sno-Cap eating seriously. Point blank, they’re a movie staple. She, on the other hand, had to go and declare them an anytime treat. Because when she was pregnant with Rox, she couldn’t get enough chocolate. Anythin’ chocolate. So when we went to the gas station, or even drove past one, she’d wanna pull over and buy a box of Sno-Caps. Before we’d leave the parking lot, she’d start eating them in front of me. One at a time, in slow motion. Tormenting me with the damn things. Not offering me a single bite. Then she’d remind me that I said they were a movie snack. So she couldn’t share since we were in the car and there wasn’t a movie playing.” Smiling fondly at the memory, I shrug. Kade’s not gonna get it. Nobody gets it, but us. It’s a special inside joke of sorts.
He chuckles. “You two are ridiculous.”
“No. I was … am in love. Sometimes you let your woman eat Sno-Caps in the car to give her a moment of happy. Sometimes you let her hate you. Or let her boss you around so she feels more secure. Either way, the love doesn’t go anywhere.”
Kade’s eyes soften a fraction. “You’re a goner,” he mutters.
“No shit. You’re just figurin’ this out?”
My bro lifts and drops his left shoulder. “I wasn’t sure. I knew you were fucked up for years. Didn’t know why. Then you went and married Vanessa. I’d hoped that meant you’d got over whatever shit was drownin’ ya in the bottom of a bottle. Of course, that was before I met Katrina. Her visit to Texas put the rest into perspective.”
I run a palm over the top of my smooth head. “Yeah, well, it put a lot into perspective for me, too.”
“Good. ‘Cause the more ya start thinkin’ about what’s best for her and makin’ her happy, the less of a dumbshit you’ll be.”
He’s right.
“I’m tryin’,” I admit on an emotionally charged exhale.
“Try harder.” Kade claps me on the shoulder and brings me in for a back pounding bro-hug before pressing our foreheads together.
“I’m gonna win her back,” I promise my kin with something horrible and thick clogging my throat. My heart thumps my ribs in agreement.
Kade’s minty breath assaults my nostrils. He must’ve had a Lifesaver. “You’d better. ‘Cause I wanna know my nieces. In the meantime, I’m gonna do my brotherly duty and bone that knife totin’ Betty ‘til she can’t walk straight.”
I snicker. “You can’t bone Rosie.”
“Sure I can.”
I told ya he’s schoolboy smitten.
“She’s Kat’s bodyguard,” I remind, stepping away to grab the handles of the luggage for something to do. It won’t be long until we gotta hit the road.
Kade wipes his palms down the thighs of his jeans. “Still? I thought you’d talk Big outta that nonsense. We got her. She don’t need itty bitty Rosie to protect her. She couldn’t stop a field mouse, let alone a rival club.”
I’m not gonna argue the fact that she just took him to the ground.
Since Big didn’t exactly give me the go-ahead to fill Kade in on Rosie’s unusual place in the club, I choose a different tactic. “Kat has no lady friends where she’s goin’, so Rosie’s comin’ along.”
“Which means I can bone her?” Kade’s grasping at straws, his eyes pleading, tone hopeful.
Mashing my lips together, I shake my head. Not gonna happen. Kade and Rosie plus sex equals disaster in the making. She could end up hating him and wanting to leave. Then Big would kick my ass. After Kat did, for allowing Kade to get too involved in the first place. Nope. He can keep his distance. It’s what’s best for Kat. And what’s best for Kat is best for Kade. They’re as thick as thieves. His brain gets it. Unfortunately, his pecker does the pickin’ and there’s no logic when it comes to Kade Jr.
Not thrilled by my refusal, Kade glares at me for a beat before stomping down the hall to presumably tattle to Kat about something to get me in trouble. That’s how he works. He’s been that way since we were kids. Always lyin’ to get me yelled at. Not that I was much better. You do, what ya gotta do.
As if on cue, Kade pipes up loud enough I can hear. “Watermelon tits, Ryker ain’t listenin’. He won’t take your luggage to the truck.”
Kat must respond, though I can’t hear it.
“I dunno why he’s such an asshole. You should go ask him. He also said you weren’t allowed to have any Sno-Caps.”
There’s a feminine, dick hardening growl that emanates from the room.
Fuckin’ Kade.
To resolve this lie before it grows exponentially, and I’m castrated by my old lady, I holler, “I’m takin’ them to the truck right now, Tiger. Don’t let Kade lie to ya. And don’t worry, I’ll buy ya five boxes of Sno-Caps, and I’ll even let ya eat them slowly while I’m watchin’, for old time sake.”
There. That should do it.
Knowing Kat had to have heard me, I pick up the bags and haul them outside. It’s time to get the show on the road. The cabin’s ready for its first real visitors. I can’t wait to see how much Roxie and Scarlett love it.
Sixteen
Ryker
Behind my driver seat in the Suburban is Vanessa. On the third row bench is Kat. Beside her, Kade’s tryin’ to mollify the pregnant beast about to burst outta her skin, She-Hulk style. This has been the trip from Hell. First, Kat packs way too much unnecessary crap, so the back window is completely blocked. If it weren’t for Rosie tailing us on her sport
bike to make sure nobody’s following us, I wouldn’t be able to see jack. And that can’t happen. Not when I’ve got a car full of people to protect. Visibility is paramount. Now I gotta use Rosie as my extra pair of eyes. Second, Vanessa has whined steadily about every little irritating thing. The road’s too bumpy. The fast food we picked up at Taco Bell too greasy. There’s not enough leg room. She can’t get comfortable. Can’t sleep. Add all those to the eclectic music bomb Kat happily dropped on us and Vanessa can’t shut up for more than ten minutes. If you think all that’s bad, it’s gotten far shittier in the past half hour. Kat’s tired, cranky, and uncomfortable like the rest of us. Not that I blame her. Vanessa’s always grated on my nerves when she whines. So what have I done to rectify the problem? Fake the nice guy routine to pacify Vanessa. Not exactly my finest decision.
“Ryker, honey, can I have your jacket to sleep on?” Vanessa purrs, leaning into the space between the two front seats, laying her neatly manicured hand on my shoulder.
Earlier today when I was busy with Kat at her house, I bribed one of the brothers fifty bucks to take Vanessa to a nail salon to keep her out of everybody’s hair. She’s always loved that frou-frou stuff. Now her nails have some white tippy paint on them.
Glancing down at my jacket and cut in the front passenger seat, I consider givin’ it to Vanessa. We’re driving straight through. No hotel. No roadside naps. Kade and I are tradin’ off, and Rosie assured me she can handle sixteen hours on her bike without sleep. I’ve been at the wheel since we left six hours ago. It’s pitch black outside. The reflective road signs, mind-numbing. There ain’t a single person on this stretch of highway aside from the sleek bike at my rear, and us. Every so often, I check my side mirror to ensure Rosie’s handlin’ this craptastic drive okay. Thus far, we’ve stopped four times to piss, eat, and gas up. I hate stopping. Stopping takes time away from driving. Stopping means I gotta hug Vanessa to appease her. Stopping means Kat grows further and further away from me because of the affection I’m givin’ Vanessa. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do here. Tell her to take a hike so I can be with Kat? I can’t do that until we get to Texas, where I can get a moment of peace.
Needin’ to see my agitated babe, who refuses to eat the Sno-Caps I bought her, I watch Kade and her in the rearview mirror. Kade’s got Katrina cuddled up against him and he’s stroking her long, silky hair. Whispering somethin’ in her ear, too. Good. As much as I wish it was me back there, I know that can’t happen today. Kade’s the perfect stand-in. Plus, I know if I give Vanessa my jacket, it’s gonna fuck with my little Tiger’s head. He’s gotta be there to settle the blow. But if I don’t, we’re gonna have to endure another bout of complaining. It’s a catch twenty-two. I’m basically screwed any way ya look at it. Though, I can say for certain Kat can’t bear another five minutes, let alone an hour of Vanessa’s incessant pettiness. She’s already called her out once. Told her to “Grow up.” As expected, it didn’t go over well. Vanessa started smack talking and insulting Kat in return. Kade nearly backhanded Vanessa. I pulled into the nearest rest stop and dealt with the bullshit. I’ve had a throbbing headache ever since.
“Well?” Vanessa prompts, kissing my bristly cheek when I don’t answer her right away.
Fuck it.
Heaving a sigh, I snatch up my leather jacket and toss it in the back.
“Thank you,” Vanessa squeals delightedly, spiking my pain to the next level. I massage the bridge of my nose to relieve the pressure.
Eleven more hours. Only eleven more hours.
Let’s pray we survive.
Seventeen
Kat
Ten hours down, a million more to go. When Ryker said Vanessa had to ride with us to Texas, I’d prepared myself mentally. Guess I should’ve done a better job. If she asks Ryker, “are we almost there yet,” one more time, I’m gonna throat punch her until she can’t talk for a week. I thought only children acted that way. Apparently not.
In the driver seat, Ryker taps his fingers to the beat of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck pumping through the speakers, drowning out anything Vanessa could possibly need to say. Beside me, Kade nuzzles his nose in my hair, half asleep. “You smell good,” he mumbles to my ear, moist breath dampening my skin.
“Is that why you’ve got a tent in your pants, Dickcheese?” I tease, eyeing the bulge that’s been there for at least forty minutes. I know it’s a morning wood. He’s been nodding in and out of sleep for the past couple of hours. Any time now and Ryker is gonna need a break from driving and Kade will leave me. My stomach sours at the prospect. He’s been my buffer when Ryker’s been too busy kissing Vanessa’s pert ass.
“Can I have your jacket to sleep with, Ryker?”
“Can I get a kiss, Ryker?”
“Will you buy me a Smart Water, Ryker?”
“Ew. This meat is so greasy. Will you eat it, Ryker?”
On … and on … and on she drones. Part of me blames it on her youth. The other, desperate for attention. Lots and lots of it. I’ve never met a needier person in my life. When I first met Vanessa, I never pegged her for such an attention whore. I’d been dead wrong. She’s a prime example as to why I don’t have many friends. There’s too much drama that comes with friendship, and I’m too old for all that jazz.
Ryker changes lanes, and Kade mutters something clever about his woody.
“What’d you say?” I ask.
“I said, your watermelony tits get me hardy hard all the time.”
Giggling quietly, I slap his leg. “You’re such a liar.”
“Am not.” He snuggles closer, still using my shoulder as a pillow.
I kiss his forehead. “It’s okay. I still love you.”
“You’d better.”
I truly do. All’s forgiven when it comes to Kade. Sure, I abused his nut sack for keeping me in the dark. But he’s one of those people ya can’t stay mad at for long.
“Shit!” Ryker yells suddenly, slamming on the breaks and taking the first right off the freeway. Tires squeal. Kade’s steel arm shoots out in front of me for protection, just as mine does the same for him on pure instinct. My heart lurches up my throat and the SUV rocks to the side. For stability, I clutch the headrest on the seat in front of me. Vanessa curses.
Driving like a bat outta hell for a short distance, Ryker stunt driver turns onto an abandon lane between dense forest cover, and kills the engine with a belated, “Son of a bitch!”
Punching the steering wheel, he asks, “Is everyone okay back there?”
“Yes,” I assure him.
“No,” Vanessa whines, yet he ignores her. She appears fine to me.
Now wide awake with concern etched between his dark brows, Kade cuffs his hand on my knee. “Stay here,” he orders before moving efficiently between the two bucket seats in the second row and dropping his ass on the one in front of me. “What’s goin’ on?” Kade prompts Ryker, who’s currently locked and loaded, scanning our surroundings on high alert.
This isn’t good.
Rosie, dressed in all black, swiftly passes my window and opens Kade’s rear passenger door. “We’ve got a problem,” she announces, breathing heavily.
Ryker turns in his seat. An orange sunrise is on the horizon, bathing the world in a dim glow. It filters through the trees, projecting lines across Ryker’s cheek. “What’d ya see?” he growls.
“Black, nondescript Caddy turned off a dead end road about ten miles back. He kept his distance for the first two miles. So I dropped back to see what he’d do. Wanted to check his plates. He didn’t seem to care about me. But he was keeping pace with you. I snapped a pic of his plates and sent it to Gunz. He got back to me in seconds, sayin’ to get the fuck outta dodge.” She glances my way for a beat, assessing my face for whatever reason before returning her attention to Ryker. “We’re not takin’ any chances. That’s why I signaled ya with my high beams.”
Ryker scrubs his chiseled jaw contemplatively, dark shadows cast under his eyes from lack of sleep. “Did you se
e what they did when I turned off?”
“They tried to make the turn. But missed it. They’ll be back-trackin' so we gotta lay low for an hour or two. Park deeper in the woods. Get you some sleep. Kade and I’ll keep watch.”
“I can help, too,” I offer.
All eyes, except Vanessa’s, swing to me in surprise.
What? I’m an excellent marksmen.
“Not happenin’, Tiger.” Ryker frowns, sadness seeping into his already weary expression. He stifles a yawn. “I’ll keep ya company. It shouldn’t take all that long. We’re safe.”
I know we’re safe. I’m not concerned about that. My gut’s quiet. She knows there’s nothing to fret over. What I am bothered by is his haggard appearance. The guy has been running on fumes for however long. Probably since the day Vanessa and I were abducted. He needs rest. The Suburban can’t provide beauty sleep. But an hour of shuteye should do him good.
Being the bigger person, I nod in compliance. “If you promise to get some sleep while Kade and Rosie keep lookout then I’ll be a good girl and get some rest, too.” The last part is a lie. I couldn’t sleep if I wanted. My blood’s pumping too hard, thanks to the bucket of adrenaline that was dumped in my system. What I can do is watch over him.
“What am I supposed to do then?” Vanessa speaks up.
“Rest,” Rosie answers, knowing from our last stop that all of us, including Ryker, are fed up with his wife.
Tucking her long, sleek ponytail over her shoulder, Vanessa’s bottom lip sticks out in an exaggerated pout. It’s meant to be cute. When, in reality, it’s babyish. “What if I gotta use the restroom?”
Her lack of common sense baffles me. How have Ryker and her lasted this long?
Annoyed by her ridiculousness, I refuse to swallow my frustration down like a hot branding iron for another second. “We are in the woods. You can pee by a tree.”
HOPE TRILOGY BOX SET: Sacred Sinners MC- Texas Chapter Page 29
